Monday evening Son #1 and took a drive to Lowe's to buy some soil mix for the tree we're planting in the front yard. Sons #2 & #3 stayed home with Dear Hubby who was busily digging the hole for said tree.
Anyway, I'll occasionally come up with a random question in order to draw my kids into conversation and the first one to pop into my head was the following:
If you could change anything about your life, what would it be?
He didn't hesitate at all:
"I'd like to be a better person."
Wow. Not the answer I was expecting. For a moment I was struck speechless. He turned 12 a couple of weeks ago. First of all, I'm impressed that his answer didn't involve "stuff." Second, I'm all for self-improvement.
Of course, I did run through a few moments of self-doubting my parenting skills ("Uh oh, did I ever say or do anything to make him feel like he's not good enough?" etc.). However, we ended up having a good conversation - okay, so at this point, I was doing most of the conversing - about how God created each of us in his own image, how He loves us despite our sometimes poor choices, and how we honor God by being the very best [insert name here: Mom, Son #1, etc.] we can be. We all make mistakes - some whoppers, some less so - and we should learn from these mistakes but not obsess over them. Thanks to the stain of Original Sin, the human species is unworthy, yet our Creator never gives up on us. Neither should we.
And I looked at him in the rearview mirror and thought... Wow. I'm speechless again.
6 comments:
I understand the "self-doubting my parenting skills" but what he said actually shows what a good job you're doing.
I think it's a great thing that he wants to better himself; it's refreshing that he didn't want "stuff".
http://TastesLikeCrazy.blogspot.com
How absolutely awesome and proud you must have been!!
Train up a child.... Can I get an Amen?
WTG elle!!!!!!
Smiling from ear to ear in SC,
Always,
John
Thanks, tastes, that's what I eventually decided, too.
John, what's the old saying, "throw it against the wall and see what sticks"? Kind of gives one hope for the human race. One kid at a time.
Wow what a statement from a 12 year old. Now if some adults would think to improve themselves we would have a nice world to live in. What a wonderful young man you're raising.
Sometimes our kids just overwhelmed us isn't it Elle :D
I've probably learned a lot more from Son #1 than I've actually taught him, nadine.
You are so right, shionge~!
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