Generation NeXt Parenting

When Life Throws Curveballs--Cara Putman, Guest Blogger

Hi! I’d like to introduce today’s guest blogger, Cara Putman—Gen X mom, writer, and attorney! Welcome Cara.

When Life Throws Curveballs
by Cara Putman

Have you had a good day with your kids lately? Days that make the crazy ones worth it?

As parents sometimes we get so caught up in the craziness of life that we forget to seize the opportunities God places in our lives.

Today was one of those. The babysitter closed – you see, I’m an attorney three days a week and usually that works flawlessly. Today, not so much. You see, I didn’t check my cell phone when I left the house at 7:15 a.m. to get to a 7:30 meeting. Went from that meeting to another meeting without checking my voicemail in my office. When I got back to the office at noon, I had two messages from my husband.

My husband is a huge blessing.

He drops the kids off on Tuesdays without a complaint. But this morning when he stopped to drop them off, the door was locked. He left a message for me I didn’t hear for four hours. Then ten minutes later he left another message that our babysitter was closed today due to an onslaught of various sicknesses in her family. Eric ended up with a spontaneous day home with the kids.

Boy, did he make the most of it. It was a gorgeous spring day, so they spent time outside. Then when I called after noon, they were shopping for a bike for my daughter. She’s grown like a weed this spring and outgrown her bike and helmet. So Daddy was her hero today. She got a Princess bike AND a Princess helmet with knee pads and elbow pads. She’s now the safest kid in the neighborhood.

My son, who is 2 1/2, got his first helmet, too. And Daddy spent his nap taking apart Abigail’s bike and turning it into a wonderful blue bike. Jonathan loved it though he probably won’t be big enough to ride it till the end of the summer.

We spent so much time outside the kids will sleep well tonight. But that’s not the best part of today.

The best part was Eric. He took a day that could have been a disaster and turned it into a wonderful memory for each of our children. He could have groaned and stewed in his frustration that his planned day got scraped first thing this morning. Instead, he focused on the kids and made it a great day for them.

I only hope I do as well when life throws curveballs at me. Instead, I know I often get so focused on my agenda that I forget to delight in the moments. Life moves fast, may I not get so caught up in its pace that I lose the opportunity to delight my children.

posted by Tricia Goyer @ 7:30 AM