Welcome to Camp Funk

These teen years everyone talks about are a walk in the park...I love every minute of it

This is what us moms are made for
While every home is different and what works for some doesn't for others, sometimes our kids feel different than others and that's okay.
Because as harsh as it may sound, that's exactly how I want my kids to feel because that's how I'm raising them. 

🐟 Upstream

I want to fit in.

It’s the driving theme behind our culture. People follow the latest fashions, jump on the latest and greatest trends, over extend themselves with things they can’t afford —why? 

Because our culture craves what everyone else has or is doing. Fitting in offers-although temporary- a sense of belonging.

And this need doesn’t escape our children; no, it starts with them. Kid’s brains are wired for social inclusion. This is the single most important force our kids must contend with: to belong. They want to blend in. 

It’s a natural phase of growing up.

But if we dare to lead our home against the flow, we will likely raise children who are different. Whether we realize it or not, we’ve asked our children to stand in the raging current of our culture and take one hard step at a time upstream.

And it won’t be easy.😏

I began to see glimpses of this when my children were very young. Because when your parenting choices don’t match up with what everyone else is doing, people notice. And they often aren’t afraid to point it out to you and other people.

But-hey, we’re grown ups. We can handle it, right?

It’s harder for our kids because we are choosing this journey for them until they can navigate it on their own. Our belief in absolute truth, our choice to follow Jesus, our priorities– are setting our kids on an upstream course. And whether we like it or not, we are raising kids who won’t always fit in with what our culture says is normal.

It shows up in school and at church, in our community and our friend’s homes

The first time your son asks his friends if they can play a less violent video game.

The first time your daughter chooses a modest dress over a popular trend.

The first time your son is showed pornography on a friend’s phone and walks away.

The first time your daughter stands up to the mean girls.

The first time your child opposes what others are doing is the beginning of a lot of other firsts.

When our kids leave our home, we hope they will stay on course; we’ve done what we can to equip them. If they choose another path, we pray God will redeem it.

In the meantime, most people don’t like turbulent waters because it can be scary and uncertain. But they will come and you will survive them.

continued next time..