Adulting Is Hard ... But Worth It!

Raising kids to be adults is an adventure. Stop and think for a minute about what we do as parents:

• we direct the path of the next generation,
• impress values into their core being,
• give them their sense of purpose and meaning,
• instill in them a knowledge – a faith really – of their own worth as a member of the human race,
• give them a place and a space for their unique contributions to society and to history.

This is a sacred trust, parenting. We owe it to our own future to be mindful of the result of our work. I mean, these people, so small and needy right now, will one day be responsible for running our nation, teaching our grandchildren, establishing or growing the businesses that enrich our lives, or not.

I Don’t Want to Grow Up

Consider the result of failure to prepare these little humans for their future role as adults. “Adulting is hard,” has become the mantra of our time. It comes from the Peter Pan notion that children have all the fun and none of the work. What kind of crazy world do we live in where the ones in charge, do all the work while the ones with no power, get to play all day? It’s no wonder that we don’t want to be the adults. Why do we think our kids will want to take up the yoke when it’s their turn? We must reconsider the balance of work and play.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an adult so that I could make all of my own decisions, work for what I wanted, and not be limited by carpooling and getting permission. But I’m a baby boomer. Different generation. I chomped at the bit because my parents didn’t live to serve me. Why should they? They did all the heavy lifting, they had all the life experience, and they paid every bill, so they made me wait, made me work, and made sure that I understood that they were people too.

We Must Earn Adulthood

Here’s the thing, kids need to chafe at the limits of childhood. They need to long for the days when they get to work for what they want. They must dream of accomplishment and accolades that may only come of taking up the reins of their lives. If they don’t, then we can’t really expect them to ever ascend the steps out of our basement where the WiFi is the fastest because it’s closest to the router.

But how do we get there from here? How can we raise up this two-year-old tyrant to be a dream catcher, an doer of great things, a builder of empires?

One day at a time. One lesson at a time. One character trait at a time. And one chore at a time. Time is on our side if we will take up the task with purpose, with an end-goal in mind. What sort of child will you raise to adulthood? What sort of society are you building for your future?