Be a Student of Your Child

I had the privilege of meeting with a mentor weekly during a season when my kids were very little and hers were young adults. I was trying to glean as much wisdom as I could from this godly woman who had survived her season of raising littles.

I asked lots of specific questions, like, “What did you do when..?” and “How did you deal with..?”. But the best advice she gave me was simply this: Become a student of your child. It freed me from the need to have the elusive “right” answer to choosing the best answer for that particular child.

Spend five minutes around even the youngest children, and you’ll already see what vastly different people these little humans are. Understanding each child as an individual - whether you have one or eight - is a demonstration of love toward them and the best way to know how to raise that specific child.

What makes them tick? What is a frustration for them? How do they respond to instruction? To discipline or correction? Knowing our children deeply can help us better serve them, whether we’re trying to teach them to tie their shoes or to read their bibles.

A side effect of this thinking is letting go of the judgment we can easily pass on other parents. Just as we are equipped to make the best choices for our children because we know them best, the same is true of other families.

This was such simple advice, but truly life-changing. Be a student of your child. Of each individual child. As you learn more about the nuances of their specific, God-given personalities, you will become an even better teacher, mentor, coach, and parent.