When my baby hurts

Being a mom, I experience many emotions, but the emotions I like least, are the ones in which I feel my child's pain.

It is impossible to keep children from feeling pain and disappointment or sadness and yet when they do, it is the most frustrating feeling in the world.  My husband and I encourage like crazy.  We cheer and guide, we teach and prepare, we instruct them to be good kids all the way around, in hopes it secures them from ever feeling any type of unkindness. 

     "Maybe if they are so kind, so caring, so accepting, so forgiving, so sweet, they will be loved by all and they will never feel another person's wrath." 

Well, let me tell you first hand, that doesn't work.  Oh how I wish it did, because no matter how wonderful a child, there is always someone out there to ruin their day, make havoc in their life.  Embarrass them or make them feel sad.  When my little girl comes home crying for example, we support her, we hang in there with her, because this is what she wants us to do.  The tears flow, her feelings have been hurt and it takes everything in my power to let her go back. 

I always thought activities outside of school are suppose to be fun, uplifting, character building in good ways.  I never expected that working hard and being a good person would come with unkindness or sadness in return.  I tell her, "quit!"  She won't.  She's tough and tender all in the same breath.  All in the same sweet girl.  If only I could control the situation but as I've said before, realizing you can't control anyone can be very maddening, and disappointing.  Such a helpless feeling comes over me when there is nothing I can do but console.   All because someone has hurt my baby's feelings, broken her spirit, or even worse, her heart.  The hurt I watch her feeling, is almost unbearable within my own heart.   

I must say, it is during times like this, that I remember my blog entry on manners.  It is times like this, when I wonder how other parent's parent. (??)  It's times like this, when prayer comes in very handy.

"Dear Lord, please help me to be patient with others and their actions.  Please help me to enlighten my child's Spirit when it is needed.  Help me Lord, to lift my child up, make her laugh, make her smile and encourage her to keep the good in her heart.  Help her Lord, to know, she will never be alone with you by her side.  And finally, let her keep love in her heart so she may forgive and continue to be the sweet child you inherently have led her to be.  Amen"