My Greatest Responsibility as A Mom Right Now
No. 74 - raising kids who are countercultural
This Week’s Musing…
Earlier this week, I looked over at my kids and was struck with awe at how wonderful they are. And I don’t think it’s just my kids (even though they’re pretty great). I think it’s kids in general.
Their ability to find joy in the smallest of moments and beauty in things our adult eyes often overlook. Their natural inclination toward kindness and compassion. Their instinct to love people just as they are. They see and experience the world differently.
And in that moment, it hit me.
Motherhood is my greatest responsibility and the place where I have the most influence in the world right now, by raising kids who are countercultural.
Countercultural to a society that is consumed with dehumanizing, mocking, and belittling. Countercultural to hateful rhetoric, pitting people against each other, and framing “different” as wrong and “other” as dangerous. Countercultural to a world where men are discouraged from expressing emotion, those that need help are deemed weak, science is dismissed, and history is erased.
When the news has felt heavy, and I haven’t known what I can even do about any of it, I finally know where to start.
I can encourage them to continue finding joy, to noticing beauty, and to overflow with gratitude.
I can teach them to bake banana bread, to work in the garden, to grocery shop, and to help clean up after dinner.
I can teach them to love deeply and to not be afraid of their emotions. I can reassure them that it’s okay to express fear, hurt, love, and disappointment.
When the world is shouting to them that “others” are to be feared and thrown into cages, I can raise them to know that every single person is made in the image of God and worthy of dignity and respect.
We can live in real community with families who don’t look like ours. Where they can learn that people come from different walks of life and different lived experiences.
We can attend our church every Sunday where the head pastor is a female and where we’re surrounded by a congregation who are as diverse as the city we live in.
I can teach them that the United States is an incredible country, but that the world is a big and beautiful place full of people to meet and things to learn.
When the world is screaming scarcity, I can show them that we can always make room for an extra seat at our table.
I don’t claim to do this perfectly. But my kids make me want to be better at it every single day. If I want a world that reflects these values, then I have to begin by practicing them within the walls of our own home.
I’m going to look my kids in the eyes and tell them I love them, and I’m proud of them every single day, because the world needs people who grow up knowing they’re cherished and loved, for exactly who they are, so they can go out and love other’s the same.
When the news gets heavy and the weight of the world feels like too much, I remind myself—this is where I start. By raising kind, thoughtful, compassionate children. Right here, right now.
Friday Favorites…
🎧 This podcast episode of IMO with Barack Obama almost brought me to tears this week. It was so timely and full of wisdom for any parents who are raising kids.
📖 You know when you’re reading a book and you wish you could just do nothing else all day except read? Ignore all other responsibilities and get lost in it? That’s how I’ve felt while reading this book that my SIL recommended. A novel set in Washington D.C. in the 1950’s. I haven’t been able to put it down.
🍑 If you’re looking for a way to use the beautiful summer produce, you have to try this salad. It’s perfect as a side with something off the grill and a cold drink!
I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment and let me know what you’re enjoying most this summer! Happy Friday, friends!
Yes, “countercultural” is such a good word for it. Not going along with the flaws of modern society, but still embracing inclusivity, accepting and understanding people who are different. That’s always been built into me as a professional expat — I’ve lived in four countries, been exposed to countless cultures, religions, and traditions. My husband’s the same. And now we’re raising our son with that same awareness, and I love it.