One of the hardest parenting decisions my husband and I have had to make just occurred. We have spent the last couple of weeks talking about it, finding out more information and most definitely, praying about it.
Our 17-year-old son asked if he could be part of an upcoming missions’ trip to Haiti. Now you have to understand that we were completely shocked by this. Our son is a homebody, has two good friends, rarely goes anywhere other than work and has never once participated in an outside activity at church.
We tried to feel him out…why did he want to go? He would be traveling to another country and this wasn’t a teen missions’ trip, it would be all adults. So there would be no friends, no peers.
It is also a construction project, rebuilding either a church or school. This was going to be hard work. But he was adamant. He wants to do this.
I think my husband and I were unable to respond for a few moments. This whole thing so came out of left field.
My initial reaction was, “I don’t think this is a good idea.” My husband’s initial reaction was, “That would be cool.” All I could think about was the earthquake in Haiti, the potential to get sick, get lost…all kinds of worrisome thoughts swirling in my head.
So as the days progressed and we talked about it, I began to have a change of heart. Who was I to stop my son from what could be a life-changing experience? Who knows what good could come out of this? It may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Did I want to be the one to squash
his dreams?
But my husband’s feelings began to go the opposite direction. Suddenly he was thinking the same worrisome thoughts I had experienced. So I told my son that until his dad and I felt at peace about it, we couldn’t give him an answer.
Well that peace finally came and last night we made the decision to let him go…quite literally. So today we are taking him to get his passport.
Tough parenting decision but I am confident we made the right one. What tough parenting decisions have you had to make?
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Photo by Beverly & Pack on Flickr