Friday, September 9, 2011

But ALL the other kids...

Dear sweet children,

I feel as though this conversation may be sorely overdue. See... I have always assumed our parenting style left no doubt in your minds as to the fact that we do not particularly follow along with the status quo when it comes to how we raise you, what values we maintain, our lifestyle, where we spend our money, and the environments we will allow you to be an active part of. I assumed that the multiple conversations over the years would have written upon your hearts and heads the type of people we expect you to become.

However, as you have recently informed me...you wish to do things the way "all the other kids" are doing them. When I say you are not allowed to participate in a certain activity, go to a particular sleep-over, or listen to particular music... the appropriate child-living-under-our-roof response should be "Yes ma'am." NOT "UGHHH!!! BUT, MOM! ALL the other kids are allowed..." because that's one sure-fire way to ensure that you are NEVER allowed permission for said activity in the future.

Beloved, if you are hoping that appealing to my parental version of peer-pressure is going to sway my values over to the dark side, you are sadly mistaken.

If anything, your informative whining does nothing more than assure me that we are on the right path!
Therefore, I thank you for your input!

As for the no-boyfriends-or-girlfriends rule... yeah, it's unpopular. But, know what else? It removes unnecessary pressure from your lives. Blame it on mean ol' mom and dad. "Sorry, super cute girl... I can't 'go out with you'... my parents are horrible fun-suckers." Do it. I don't care. See, here's the difference between being a kid and being an adult: Kids care what their friends think. I care what Jesus thinks.
Personally, I don't think your sweet, tender hearts can handle the pressures of teenage dating. I think the earlier you start 'going out with' someone, the earlier you begin to move up the relationship ladder into areas you are unprepared to enter.

I know your friends are all "in love with" their boyfriends and girlfriends, this week. Then they will be "in love with" another one next week. But babycakes, here's the thing: That's not LOVE. Until you are willing to clean up the other person's puke, put yourself into mortal danger for their safety, trade places with them to keep them from the worst pain of their lives, or worse... choose to love them when you don't like them very much... you don't know LOVE and you shouldn't toss that word around. It cheapens it and it's wrong.
God is love, teenage feelings are attraction or fondness. You can like someone, think they are a decent example of the type of person you may love someday... but you don't love them in the way God designed love.

Yeah, I know... we are a bunch of fun-suckers. You will get over it. And someday, you may even thank us for it.

I love you too much to allow you to settle for what the world calls "good" when I know that what God has designed as "best" is waiting for you around the corner.

Love, Mom

9 comments:

  1. Horrible fun-suckers is my new favorite phrase.
    Jamie-Horrible-Fun-Sucker.
    Yes, it works.

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  2. Woo Hoo. You go girl. Now can I get this on a poster to hang in my house and make my children recite??

    We need to get together BTW : )

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  3. I just realized something, reading this. I am going to have 5 teenagers at the SAME TIME!!!! Uggggg! That means I will have to be a horrible fun-sucker times 5. Two 2-year-olds isn't seeming so bad right now :)

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  4. AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! US TOO- fun suckers!!! But there is soo much more fun to be had :) God's FUN is SOOO much better!!!! Stick to it!!!!

    Just so you all feel great we will have upwards of 5 teens in the house at once! OH YEAH!!!!! It will be great!!!

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  5. AMEN!!!
    Sometime wish my parents wrote us a letter like that and shared it with us. I want greatness for my kids and their lives with Christ! Thanks for the verbalization of the random thoughts in my head.

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  6. Can I repost this in my blog??? I love this!!! Exactly how we feel and we get the same responses as well!

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