From the time my children were born, I have been overcome with the need to protect them. I remember the first time flying with my newborn daughter in my arms. I have never been so afraid to step on a plane, a place where I had no control! But as my kids grew my fears changed and I stopped hovering like a helicopter. I realized that was not how to prepare them to make good decisions. I couldn’t always be with them and if I didn’t change they would go out into the world unprepared. So I changed my game.Here’s what I did and it made all of the difference.
I learned to trust in God more and instead of worrying over my kids, I took up my role as their wall or protector, and their gatekeeper: The one who thoughtfully trains her child for opportunities beyond protection and how to prepare them for that independence day. Are you a gatekeeper or a helicopter mom?
Being a Gatekeeper
Our children have so many opportunities, or gates, to good things like having a cell phone, driving, and dating. As moms, we must know when they are ready for us to open that gate. You are so many things to your child. You are a wall—the one who will vigilantly protect your child. And you are the gatekeeper —the one who will diligently train your child for a future beyond the wall. The wall is the foundation for protecting. The gates are the opportunity to test your child’s readiness to live well outside the wall. Each gate is an opportunity for your child to explore and exercise his or her growing independence by temporarily leaving your protection and venturing out.
For you, it affords the opportunity to observe and test your child, to see if he or she is prepared for the freedom the gate has to offer. There are lots of gates in life. In this free e-book, I explain the 10 major gates I monitored with my children and how you can handle them too. Download the How to Prepare Your Kids for the World ebook here.
What gates have you opened for your kids?
