Partnering with Parents: Why it Matters
She slammed her daily planner shut and folded her hands “So she had a bad day at school did she?” Was it just me or was her tone condescending? “You know, girls will be girls.” “Maybe you should chalk this up as a way to teach your daughter some valuable life lessons.”
Incredulously I stared at her she couldn’t possibly be saying these things, not if she knew what had been going on for so long, not if she knew us and how we parent, not if she cared about the emotional well-being of my daughter.
The walk to the van was silent and all that ran through my head was “this is why partnering with parents is essential.”
Maybe this is why so many of the parents in our church struggle to cross over from the idea of child care or Sunday School teacher, to spiritual partner and engaged mentor in the life of their child. Is there any other arena where parents partner intentionally with someone who is influencing their child?
I mean what does it mean to partner? I’m not talking about you have them these many hours a week and I have them these many hours a week, but what about both of us together, communicating and caring for a child, saying the same things. “A partnership is an arrangement in which parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.”
What if this woman knew the signs that my daughter was struggling, withdrawing, confused, unhappy and hurting. What if this woman knew that we are engaged parents who want to work with the influences in our daughters’ life to grow her up to be a well-rounded, intelligent, caring and compassionate, God fearing young woman.
Contrast this picture with the following night where I poured out my heart to a trusted few women in my church, who have walked through and prayed through fire for me and my family over the last few years, who know my children (actually are their small group leaders), love them like their own and dare to stand with us as we call on God for wisdom for our child.
This is what partnering with parents really is. Let us dare to step out, to be different from society, to trust each other and partner together in raising our children as followers of Jesus Christ. Two combined influences are much greater than two influences.
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