Thanks for Stopping By

Welcome to my blog, Pastoral Parenting. I hope to share with you some things I have learned as a parent and from my studies in pastoral care and developmental psychology.

Parenting is the hardest job in the world for which we receive no formal training. I like to say we are all raised by unskilled labor! We are taught to attach closely to our newborns, but once we have--and have fallen deeply in love--no one ever tells us that it is just as important to learn how to detach and let them go.

I also write a weekly reflection on Scripture called "Come and See" and I often incorporate parenting topics into these reflections. They are written from my vantage point as a Christian, but I try to make my writing universally applicable, the way I believe Christ wants me to. This blog will rely on our common Spirit--no preaching, just sharing the love.

By way of disclaimer, I am not a licensed therapist. I have a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from Loyola University in Maryland and wrote my thesis on Pastoral Parenting. In a phrase, I use my head, but speak from my heart. I also believe that a healthy sense of humor goes a long way to help keep us sane, so I hope to share some of that as well. If you or your child is really struggling, I strongly encourage you to seek the help of a family therapist.

Blessings on you and your children!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Pardon the Interruption

Well, so much for trying to write something for my blog every two weeks! To play on an old phrase:  “The road to hell-- or anywhere else, for that matter-- is paved with good …interruptions.”

The past winter and spring have been busy with all sorts of wonderful and enriching ministry work—writing, running retreats and parenting workshops, including a new outreach to young moms on temporary cash assistance (from whom I am learning so much about parenting in the face of poverty and homelessness). But a lot of my time has been spent caring for my 88-year old mom (from whom most of my real-life parenting wisdom comes) and for my own kids who are both at transition points:  my daughter starting the college search and my son graduating from college (and coming back home to live!), and figuring out the rest of his life.  

It’s been a good reminder for me to practice what I preach, to make sure I don’t forget that my most important ministry is to care for those closest to me. We sometimes take for granted, or worse, discount the importance of the work we do at home. I remember the advice of a woman from church when I was arranging to have my son baptized. I made the comment that I felt such a need to give back for all that had been given to me. Her response:  “Raise your son to be a good, moral, caring young man. That is how you are to give back right now.” 

The late Henri Nouwen once told this story:   A few years ago I met an old professor at the University of Notre Dame. Looking back on his long life of teaching, he said with a funny twinkle in his eyes: ‘I have always been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I slowly discovered that my interruptions were my work.’”

Good advice for those of us caring for kids, aging or ill family members, or both.


No comments:

Post a Comment