No Place Like Home

Some years back I agreed to be one of the adults chaperoning a trip for kids. For some reason, and most likely because I felt out of place and like an outsider, it was a difficult week for me.

No joke, I felt like I was stuck in the middle of the movie Mean Girls. Finding a place to sit down for meals resembled the lunch quad in high school—surveying the area looking for someone to eat with.

I was thinking, Maybe the other adults will talk to me today, maybe not. What I desired was to be included but I felt as if I wasn’t accepted.

Today, I would approach this situation very differently but at the time it was real, and it was hard. Back then, I think I wasn’t okay enough within myself to be okay just me—not needing anyone else. (That’s a post for another time.)

But this is how my week played out…

Day 1 – Why did I sign up for this? Can I go home early?

Day 2 – Okay, you’re stuck here for the duration, better make the best of it.

Day 3 – There must be something wrong with me.

Day 4 – I’m really feeling bad about myself, and starting to doubt my self-worth.

Day 5 – Going home, can’t wait to see my family. There is something wrong with me.

Returning home felt like a breath of fresh air as my family was happy to have me home. They teased me. They listened to me. They were interested in my feelings. They loved me. Not only did they love me, they accepted me completely, flaws and all.

This incident years ago got me thinking about how difficult it can sometimes be for our children. Sometimes the world they live in is not a safe and inviting place. Sometimes kids get picked on. Sometimes teachers can be harsh. Sometimes friends can reject. The world can be mean and scary for our kids.

If your child is acting out, investigate. Sometimes our children don’t need discipline but instead they need love and understanding.

For me, what I needed was a safe place to land and be accepted. Our children need this as well. When we provide our kids with a safe environment where they feel valued, loved, listened to, and accepted we bridge a gap between our world and theirs.

Day 6 – Home. My family loves me. Yeah, I’m pretty awesome!

Let’s take every opportunity to let our kids know that we delight in them. God delights in us, and we can pass that on to our children.

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17

Want more from Lucille Williams? Order a copy of “The Impossible Kid: Parenting a Strong-Willed Child with Love and Grace.” For marriage tips “From Me to We,” and “The Intimacy You Crave” can help you get the relationship you dream of.