Enjoying the Season

I love this post on Facebook by Rosie Boom (a NZ children’s author) on entering the empty nest stage of life. She writes of her grief at leaving behind the homeschooling years with her big, noisy family and the new adventure of beginning a different season of life with just her husband.

Even though it feels a long way off for me – our eldest is 11 and we’ve only just had our 6th baby – I can already imagine how hard that time will be. However, keeping that day in mind is so encouraging and helpful as we battle through the current tiring days of parenting and homeschooling. What sometimes seems mundane, ordinary and often frustrating is really a blessed life that I will certainly miss when my children are grown. I’m thankful for Rosie’s reminder to enjoy the current season we’re in; to enjoy the noise and busyness of our children.

It’s also worth bearing in mind (as Rosie mentions) our job as parents: the importance of not trying to hold onto our kids for as long as possible but of proactively equipping and training them well for adult life. Intentionally providing them with the skills they need to be mature and competent adults one day so that we can let them go. That day will come sooner than we imagine! Rosie shares how she prepared not only her kids but also herself for the coming empty nest season. This sounds like a wise idea, given how motherhood and homeschooling can be so tied to our identity.

I only hope I can get to the empty nest stage with the same optimism and contentment, and with the joy of knowing that all those years weren’t wasted. Motherhood and homeschooling truly is a privilege.