Daily Devotionals for Women - Today's Encouraging Word from Scripture

A Prayer for Parents to Be Patient with Their Children This Summer
By Amanda Idleman

Bible Reading:
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9

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I often am drawn back to this verse as a parent. I first heard it as a young new mom, and it encouraged me to stay the course as a thoughtful parent. I didn’t quite understand how applicable the verse was to this job until my precious babies multiplied and grew older. Quickly, I found myself drowning in overstimulation, which led me to realize I have a short fuse. The last thing I want to be is a yelling, angry, nagging mother. I want to love my kids! Show them kindness, share in their joy, correct them thoughtfully… Most of all, I want to do this job well! But the sad reality is that I often fall short.

But I can’t give up, as Galatians 6:9 reminds me! There is a reward for staying the course, apologizing one more time, learning new parenting techniques, finding ways to calm my mind and body amid chaos, and more. We can’t give up on loving our kids well.

This reminder is profoundly appropriate in the hot dog days of summer. We all started so well! We had planned activities and new outings to enjoy together, we set up checklists and chore charts, and we made summer reading goals! We thought we had a plan. If you are like me and you are halfway through summer break and the plan has been abandoned… if we are honest, we never really started the plan! And we have another half to make it through before routines begin again.

It’s normal to start feeling a little overstimulated, overwhelmed, and impatient as the Summer progresses. You are not at all alone in this very real struggle. But we can’t give up, we have to keep up the good work of guiding, nurturing, and correcting our children well.

I’ve found that knowing my triggers is essential for me as a Mom. Things pushing me over the edge include too many abandoned messes around the house, noise, whining, and exhaustion. I’ve put some real work into finding ways to help myself avoid reaching that tipping point in which reason is out the window and only loud yells are coming out of my body. Some things that help are morning quiet time, noise-reducing headphones, regular deep breathing, chiropractic care, moving my body, quiet hours during the day, chore charts, and a solid no-whining policy in my house. I encourage you to find the things that can help protect your nervous system from overload. Caring for ourselves is caring for our kids.

Parenting is holy work. We don’t have to be perfect parents, but being present with our kids over these hot days is the best gift we can give them. Boredom, simple routines, and an open calendar are all okay ways to spend the remaining weeks of summer. We can take the pressure off as parents to make every moment magical. The point of this season is that it’s intentional. The most special thing we could do for and with our kids is read to them! Make a meal together. Watch a movie as a family. Get the colors out and enjoy quiet coloring and drawing time. Play a game at the kitchen table. Simple, together, lots of apologies, and intentional is all we need to have a great summer together.

So don’t give up. You can do this. Take the pressure off. Spend a little more time investing in your sanity. Embrace a little slower pace and make more memories over these last few weeks of summer break.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God, we thank you for gently leading us as parents. Your grace is sufficient for our needs. Your love covers so many of our sins. By grace, please help us to have the patience we need to end our summer well. Help us not give up on this mission to be intentional parents who show our kids the love of Jesus daily. Please give us the tools to calm our bodies, as the overstimulation is real! Show us how to remain steady and grounded even if our days feel jumbled and wild. Help us embrace simplicity—time spent together, caring for each other, and our homes. Be with us in this season. Amen.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Pekic

Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is encouraging others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for Your Nightly Prayer, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, Your Daily Prayer, and more. She has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, and Christianity.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas, alongside her husband’s companion devotional, Shepherd. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.

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