It’s inevitable. If you have a child, they will eventually be away from home . . .

Which each flip of the calendar page, I realize the days are passing quicker than I want them to, and the kids are growing up faster than I anticipated. As such, I toggle between cutting the apron strings, and pulling my child close. While I don’t want to be standoffish, neither do I want to be a helicopter mom. Thus, the struggle to find a healthy balance between the two is ongoing.

 

As life evolves, so does the parent/child relationship. And then it happens, that moment when your child is old enough to be away from home.

 

What starts out as short jaunts:

• Play dates with a friend
• Over night visits with grandparents
• A week long camp
• School for the day
• A few hours at work

Turns in to longer stretches:

• Semesters at college
• Military deployments
• Short term missionary assignments

And finally, results in consistent absences:

• They get married
• Relocate across town or to another state
• Move out of the country

There are an endless number of reasons for a child to be away from home, and an endless number of emotions to go along with those separations.

Honestly, whenever one of the family is away from home, a piece of my heart feels like it’s missing. Home represents safety, and this Mama’s heart just feels better when her brood is under one roof.

However, staying at home forever is not an option for my kids. They need to leave. Not because I want them gone, but they need to stretch their wings and find their way in this world. Which, if I dwell too long on how fast this is happening, I just might tear up a bit.

How does a parent combat the barrage of emotions that flood the mind when they are separated from their child? Commiserating with a friend is an option, but true peace only comes from one source—The Source.

Long before my children were born, I began praying for them. However, the older they get and the more they are away from home, the more imperative it is for me to cover them in prayer. But, I have to be honest. Some days I struggle with what to pray or even how to pray for my kids.

This is where others come into the picture.

We can’t do this alone. Well, we can try, but . . .

I’m thankful for folks who are willing to partner with our family to pray for our children.

I’m also thankful for folks who have weathered their own parent/child transitions and are willing to share what they’ve learned along the way. One of these individual’s, Edie Melson, recently penned a book titled While My Child Is Away.

The pages of Edie’s book are a mixture of devotionals and prayers that speak to the heart of the parent about the heart of the child, etc.

Topics include:

• Knowing they are loved by the One who counts most
• Making good choices
• Peace regardless of circumstances
• True self-confidence
• Developing a firm faith foundation
• Being strong in Christ
• Companionship- friends, mentors, and mates
• God as their defender
• Fully present – living in the now

Every day, kids are exposed to numerous life situations, and faced with unimaginable challenges. When kids are away from home, their vulnerability escalates.

Reading this book has challenged me to rethink the way I pray for my kids. In fact, I’ve realized there are a number of situations my kids may face that I haven’t even thought to pray about.

If you are a parent, I highly recommend When My Child Is Away by Edie Melson. Furthermore, if you are looking for a gift for a parent, bless them with a copy of Edie’s book.

How do you pray for your children? I’d love for you to add your thoughts to the comment section.

Visit Edie’s website at The Write Conversation

When My Child Is Away is available on Amazon

• All share squares are compliments of Edie Melson
• Featured image compliments of morguefile.com and reenablack