Growing Pains

When children are young, sometimes they will experience growing pains. I don't remember ever having them, but I hear that it is extremely painful leg cramps due to growth spurts a child's body goes through.

We are experiencing growing pains at my house. No, they aren't the kind that cause a child to wake up at night crying out in pain. They are the kind that keep me up late crying out for help. The growth spurts occurring don't cause a child to gain a few inches. They cause a child grow in maturity. These pains don't go away with massages and Tylenol. They go away with maturing and experience.

My sweet, kind, loving child is going through a painful time. She is learning about the world, boundaries, and what it means to become more independent. This beautiful child is trying to learn who she is and who she wants to become. She is learning of the power she holds within herself-- the power to help, the power to choose, the power to become.

How do I guide you? How do I teach you in this new phase of your life? How do I help you to temper your responses? How do I guide you to want to be kind and loving? How do I direct you toward your Heavenly Father? How do I discipline without alienating you?

Know that I love you. I look at you as you are sleeping and tears come to my eyes. I want so much for you to feel of my deep love for you. I want to understand you. I want for you to open up and share your thoughts, your feelings, your hopes and dreams, your fears and insecurities. I want you to know I will help you and support you through all your ups and downs.

Eight years ago, I was excited at the impending arrival of a sweet baby girl. I didn't have the foresight then to see much past frilly newborn dresses and sweet chubby cheeks. The biggest challenges were fussiness and not sleeping at night. Now I look at a growing, maturing child and think of how simple the challenges were back then. I am trying to be up for this new challenge of parenthood. I will do my best to find out how to massage the hurts you are experiencing so that you can stand tall after this growth spurt.