Solider On, Parents

Physical challenges of raising young children are no joke. But the emotional challenges of older kids are no joke, either!

What really trips me up are when my kids express emotions such as, "I'm sad" or "I'm lonely."

And what is so hard for me to realize is that sometimes in life, we are sad. Sometimes, we are lonely. And rather than trying to rescue our kids from a situation, I need to listen, support them, and let them know it is okay to feel however they are feeling. And that sometimes we feel uncomfortable, but that is okay, because they can make it through.

But OH MY GOODNESS IT IS HARD. It is hard not to enter the emotional roller coaster with our kids. It is hard not to feel nauseous when our kids are bummed. It is hard not to worry and extrapolate into the future. It is just hard being a parent.

So, parents of older kiddos, I see you. You may not be changing diapers - but you are navigating uncharted waters. You may not be woken up in the middle of the night by your children - but may lie awake at night with worries every bit as pressing. You may not be balancing feeding a baby while cooking dinner - but you are balancing how to best meet your kids' needs.

These emotional challenges are no joke. Solider on, parents.