My hope for my kids

I think it is good to have goals or a vision for what you desire.  However, when it comes to your kids you can't be too specific.  I wouldn't want to say "My goal for Lachlan is for him to be a doctor."  That's not fair to him.  So I have some less specific goals in mind and one that is pretty detailed I guess.

I got as a gift a cute little baby book and it asked for you to write a letter to your new baby.  I was unsure as to what to write so I just started and let the letter form as I wrote.  The first thing that came to my mind was fun.  I wanted my boy to have fun in his life.  I wanted him to remember lots of laughter.

I also wrote that I wanted him to feel no judgment.  I didn't want him to feel mocked or ridiculed for anything he chooses to do in his life.  I say that now but when he comes to me and wants a tattoo of an eagle on his back I may have to discuss that with him.  Obviously this is all with in reason.  I still have to be Mom.  But I hope he feels the freedom to express himself with out ridicule.

Now for some things I didn't write down but an underlying goal in all I do, specifically discipline.  I always feared I would be the lenient parent.  Turns out in the grand scheme of things I am not.  This I believe is partly due to a Bible study lesson I took part in about the time my oldest turned 2 and we were just getting into issues with discipline.  It talked about discipline and how important it is to be consistent in order to raise a respectful adult.  At the time I am not sure if I ever really looked at my situation now, raising a 2 year old, and thought I am raising a future adult.  I believe I was a little more in the moment.  However, since seeing this truth I have been given strength through some hard moments, knowing my end goal.

I would love for my sons to be respected by their peers and have respect for others. I would love for them, someday, to be a loving husband and father. I want them to find passion in something and somehow be able to do that as a career.

Now for the more detailed goal.  I want them to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Not just because that's what their Mom and Dad believe and not because that's what they were taught at church.  But because they have seen Him in their lives.  They have seen Him carry them and their family through tough times and they have felt His presence during our rejoicing. 

My new, goal as I write this, is to pray more for my children.  I just don't do this enough.  Not only for my children but for myself as mom, that God would guide me through each day, because all the goals listed in this post will never be attained with out the guidance of Christ.