Raising daughters is hard! I remember reading Purpose Driven Life when I found out I was having Maleah which I was not planning for, was not prepared for, and knew little about what God had in store for me or her for that matter. But through that book, He SPECIFICALLY told me He makes no mistakes and that He has a plan for everyone. I had no idea what a blessing He was giving me. I had no idea what a life change would happen because of her. And even while I was going through my “getting by” moments, I had no idea that was part of the plan. I didn’t know that what I had experienced in my life might have been in preparation for parenthood.
Today was the first G.L.O.W. (God’s Leading Our Way) Mother-Daughter event we had at Community Celebration Church. We could share in activities and games together, a message and journaling option there was plenty of opportunities to bond and share in some entertainment too with your daughter, friend or neighbor. There was ice cream making, sock hops, three-legged races, decorating and so much more.
Pastor Amy had some amazing insights about how we can improve our relationships with our daughters and how that is so impactful in the people they become. It’s so simple. They watch, they learn, they repeat.
Listen Well: Let them finish. Sometimes we try to answer before we listen. We try to teach before we learn. And we can’t learn if won’t don’t stop talking. Listen without judgement and be slow and thoughtful in your response.
Pray With Intention: There are so many reasons that praying WITH your children is important, but it’s also leading by your example and showing them what that communication looks like.
Remain Available: We are so busy in our lives. Its drop offs, it’s dinner, its deadlines but nevertheless, our kids need to know that they matter, and that they are more important than deadlines. Find ways you can connect and engage with them that shows you are thinking about them and are available to them. Slip an extra note in their backpack or text her “I love you”.
Model Grace & Humor: Your daughter learns very young from you about communication and demeanor. They watch how you react in situations and use that as a baseline for their own future actions. Be a model of grace and humility. If someone wrongs you, forgive them, pray for them, don’t speak badly about them. If you are the one that fails, do they see apologize? When things aren’t going your way or your stressed, staying calm and working through things shows them how they should approach those same situations.
Bless Your Children: Every day. Bless them. Each child has so many God-given talents that make them unique. They will be guided by what you tell them they can or can’t do. Be their voice of reason and encouragement. You CAN do this. You ARE good at this. Positivity goes a long way. Encourage daily.
I love how God works. As I began writing this, I needed some “music for thought”, and in my search, this was the first song that played. It’s all about a momma’s question that resonates for life with a daughter. “What about Jesus?”
No matter what happens in our lives, WE have the opportunity to find the answer that’s already there. He will never leave us alone. It’s a long road when we are walking it alone, without Jesus.