General

Seasons of Parenting

SEASONS OF PARENTING

As the days grow shorter and the cool autumn breezes begin to shake the maroon and yellow leaves from their branches, families across the country prepare for a seasonal transition. Routines begin to change, the human body’s rhythms begin to recalibrate, and mental and emotional energies often shift frequencies. 

For parents, these seasonal changes may mirror transitions that are taking place in their children – from growing older to increasing independence and the facing of new and unexpected challenges. But just as no one can prevent autumn from settling in, so neither can parents prevent life from moving forward. Yet through every season, one thing remains the same – the sovereign love of God.

CHANGE IS NATURAL AND NECESSARY

It’s beautiful and amazing to watch as every part of creation knows how to change with the seasons. The trees begin to release their leaves, animals begin to prepare for winter, and the sun adjusts to the exact rise and set time of its creator. 

Scripture says, “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens,” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). And just as creation understands the necessary movement through the earth’s seasons, so must parents. As parents adjust to new roles when life shifts in its ever-changing way, it is important to understand that letting go of one season doesn’t mean loss, it instead signals an expansion for new growth.
By embracing this change, there is an opportunity to see renewed beauty in things that have become mundane. One reason each new season seems so captivating as it arrives is because of the fresh scenery, weather, and nuances it brings. For parents who are in a season of change, remembering that this is a natural part of life, it is necessary, and it ushers in unique opportunities, can help them realize that there is beauty in the bittersweet. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

CHANGE MEANS FINDING RHYTHM AND PREPARING FOR WHAT’S AHEAD

One of the greatest gifts the autumn season brings is an invitation to slow down the rhythms of life. Gathering with loved ones, sipping cocoas and teas that warm the body as well as the soul, and the long, cool, and quiet nights offer a rhythm of rest.
Often, parents begin to create new rhythms in the home during this season as well. As these new rhythms begin to take shape, it is important that parents create ways to help draw their families closer to God – not just in the autumn, but in every season. In Psalm 46:10, God reminds His children to “Be still, and know that I am God.” This stillness beckons a pause, a breath, and an understanding that “slow times” are not “wasted times,” they are “sacred times.” 
In these sacred times, parents should be encouraged to think about what God is preparing them for in the coming seasons. Just as farmers begin to harvest crops to prepare for the colder weather, parents should be evaluating what seasons are approaching and helping their families prepare for those next stages of growth - it is today’s challenges that prepare people for tomorrow’s calling.

WHAT REMAINS

For parents who are feeling the changes of the season, these feelings should be embraced, not feared. God’s design holds the beginning and end of every season, every transition. Hebrews 13:8 is a gentle reminder of this – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
The next time someone’s eyes are drawn to one of the magnificent ways creation is humbly and obediently honoring its creator’s seasonal shift, may they be reminded of God’s faithfulness, His steadfastness, and His unbreakable promise to hold every season securely in the palm of His hand.
As the leaves fall this year, may parents notice God’s faithfulness in new ways. May they reflect on what season He is asking them to embrace right now and what seasons He is challenging them to prepare for.