Performance-Driven Parents

You know who they are. The ones that endlessly brag about how their little girl was crawling at 3 weeks and how their little boy knew 50 dozen words by the time he was 3 months old. The parents who already have an ivy-league college picked out for their son. The parents who spend the entire dinner saying, "Sally, show Jennifer how you can stand on your head for 20 minutes." "Bob, show Jennifer how you can say discombobulated." "Maybel, show Jennifer your dinasour moves. No, do it. No, come on. Show her. Maybel, get off the chair and show Jennifer right now. What did I say?" (All the while, Mom, I am begging you in my head to just leave the poor child alone!) That's right, you all know what I am talking about.

And these parents are sadly mistaken that they for some odd reason think that I sit at home on my couch eating cookies and do nothing but think about this god child who is so smart and amazing that all I can do is sit on my couch and eat cookies and think about this child.

But for real. The problem is the American drive for success. Poor children! Why is it that I feel too many parents place expectations on their children and don't just fully love on them? Why is it also that American Christians seem to think they should get the credit for their child's strengths?

*sigh*

In my prayers for Lara, God has taught me great lessons. It's hard to put into words, but while I know God cares deeply for all the issues we must face with Lara's CP, He is showing me that it is "immaterial," as Dustin said. These issues aren't going to stop Him from putting Lara in the right place at the right time. But more than anything, He is showing me how to look past the CANS and CANNOTS. Because it isn't what He sees. He sees the beauty and the strength. I would gladly give up Lara's CP, but at the same time, I could never give up the lessons I learned that I can pass on to Lara. Because that is what really matters.