We had a really fascinating moment with the kiddos a few days before the hurricane that just rolled through Florida hit. There was a lot of buzz around the house on whether or not we were leaving and what we would do. Christina and I were fielding questions and trying to listen to guidance from the Holy Spirit on what we would do (leave or stay).
The interesting part came when we sat all of the kiddos down and asked them, “how do you feel about all of this?” It turned out that my boys were more worried about the whole thing than I thought. Their whole face changed once I asked that question and I could tell that there was fear there that was not being shown on the surface, even though I know them both so well. I don’t think I will ever forget that moment.
This shows just how important that closeness is and how important it is to slow down and be available to those promptings God gives you to ask those types of questions.
While my oldest shared that she was not afraid at all, she trusted that we would keep her safe, I was also very interested in her response as well. She is very organized and gains comfort from having things in order. Not knowing what we would do, when we would do it, how long things would be different brought a real level or anxiety to her.
These examples do a great job to showcase that each nugget is so different. You must be willing to invest the time, show up and be willing to rely on the dynamic nature of the Holy Spirit and not cookie cutter parenting approaches. The good news is that it is so worth it…
Bonus note: The storm also showed how important it is to shield kiddos from “news” and social media, even during very important times such as these. These “tools” are geared towards capturing and keeping your attention, no matter the cost. This is important in the home, but also important to watch for when you are out. You are in charge of filtering and directing what comes into their young minds. These things also grab your very valuable attention and energy that you need for parenting so find ways to limit them to only the bare minimum. Be willing to be different and take drastic steps for the greater good.