The young mom walked through my front door looking bedraggled, weary, and a tear drop away from falling apart. Her two young children in tow, she was dropping them off at my in -home daycare on her way to work.

Immediately my motherly instinct kicked in. I put a consoling arm around her shoulder and asked what was wrong. She began to cry which really gave me cause for concern. In an instant the worst case scenario came to mind. Had there been an accident? Had someone in her family died? Did she recently find out she had cancer? Thankfully it became clear that none of these tragedies were the reason for her emotional distress that morning.

With a tear stained face she confided the terrible trauma. It was her little boy’s antics that had her at wit’s end. At three years old his frequent tantrums were wearing her down and that morning’s escapades further fueled her frustrations. I tried not to laugh or make light of her obvious feelings of helplessness. After all, as parents, haven’t we all walked in those shoes at one time or another?

I didn’t have the heart to tell this novice mom that these days of dealing with outbreaks of disobedience and toddler tantrums is like the calm before the storm as far as parenting goes. She was in no shape to hear about what’s in store when tiny tots grow into teen terrors.

I gave her a big, reassuring hug and promised her it does get better, though I left out the part that it will take another 18 years or so.

But, just as mothers soon forget the pain of childbirth we, as parents, soon forget the trials and tribulations our children put us through. We do our best for our children and sometimes it crushes us to the core when they rebel or behave badly towards us.

Eventually our offspring do grow up leaving parents with only a faint memory of those impossible years.

This brings to mind our relationship with our heavenly Father. His abundant patience and unending guidance endures the rebellious stages of His children. He quietly waits out the storm of our indifference, calmly waiting with open arms for us to seek His will. And as we each grow up into spiritual maturity, God’s all encompassing love will hold us close as our own impossible years will be forgiven through His redeeming grace.

Kathy Whirity kathywhirity@yahoo.com