Perfection is Not The Goal

In a world of comparison, we can easily fall into the trap of setting an unattainable standard for ourselves as parents. One friend has taught her kids to put away their clothes and make their beds (such independence!), another is always so patient and fun with her kids (all the cute crafts!), one dad does an amazing job of keeping his house clean (the toilet sparkles!), and a different mom reads the Bible to her kids every morning before school (so consistent!). 

All of these parents are doing wonderful things. But they are each doing their own things well - they are not one person! We can easily feel like a failure when we compare our efforts to the collective successes of those around us. My goal at Raise Them Up is not to overwhelm or discourage you with a list of ideas to implement. While I hope to share many different ideas, resources, and encouragements to help you raise your kids to love God, I know you can’t do it all - because neither can I!

But I do believe this: All parents can share gospel truths with their children.

• It can happen through formal bible study. And it can happen at a football game.

• It can happen while your kids help you with the chores. And it can happen if your kitchen sink is stacked full of two-day-old dirty dishes.

• It can happen if you have a seminary degree (which I don’t!). And it can happen if you didn’t grow up in a Christian home.

Parenting is not a game of comparison or perfection. As we strive to parent our kids well, we will fall short sometimes. We may try a new bible reading idea that goes poorly, or we might have a hard day that ends in harsh words. Messing up is okay. God’s grace is sufficient to cover our mistakes. In truth, these mistakes are beautiful ministry moments because they allow our kids to see that we need God. And although perfect is not the goal, knowing that we need God is a pretty perfect place to start.