I have heard from many parents that their eyes are being opened and they are thankful that they have been able to spend more time with their kids now that everyone is home more. Sports are canceled, plays are canceled, music lessons are online, and even some doctor’s appointments are performed virtually. One family I know has two teenage daughters and the mom travels back and forth from the east coast to California with them for their acting gigs. She in particular has been over-the-moon grateful that the whole family can finally sit down together for a family meal more times a month than not! Other families as well are looking around and seeing that busyness really took hold of their lives and now they can spend more time painting, gardening, cooking, or doing more things at home as a family.

The funny thing is, not a whole lot has changed for me and my family. There are some small things that I can’t do like go on a monthly date out to an actual sit-down restaurant with my husband anymore or hit the thrift stores when I am in need of some me-time but these are extremely minor inconveniences, if I dare even call them that! Overall, nothing has changed. We still homeschool. We still are not really into sports (sorry sports fans!), and we still try to cook from scratch if possible.

Everyone is dealing with this pandemic in different ways but the most important thing is that we watch and observe our kids and see how it is affecting them, because it is. It might not be obvious but it is affecting them. When a child is going through a traumatic experience it might not be years before their fears come out. When my son was three we were on the mission field and our compound was flooded. We had to leave in the middle of the night because the home we were in was flooding at rapid rates. We barely could get the door open because of the pressure of the flood waters pushing up against the door and then trying to get our van out was a challenge because the waters kept rising. We finally made it to safety—so we thought. We went to a friend’s ministry because they had new construction that was built to withstand the storms. Well, the flooding that happened that night happened to be the worst it had been in twenty years and even the newly constructed building started leaking. Needless to say, my three-year-old was scared and my husband and I did not get a wink of sleep that night praying and wondering if we would have to get up and move again and wondering if it would even be possible! Well, we survived to tell the tale and though there was damage, no lives were lost, praise God! My son never really mentioned it again but then about a year later it began to rain hard at our house back in the states. It was coming down fiercely but we were inside safe and sound. Not understanding that our house can handle the storm he was scared that the same thing was going to happen and he began acting up. We assured him that we live on a hill, that we are fine, and that if flooding did happen, which is most likely wouldn’t, that it would happen in the basement and wouldn’t ever get near him! It took a little while, but he finally was able to rest assured that evening!

We need to be there for our kids when the fear arises, whether it is now or years down the road. If they see us panic and hoard now that could lead them to not trusting the Lord when they are older. Let us be the examples they need. Let us trust the Lord during this time and allow them to watch us. Sure, you might be like my husband and I up all night praying and wondering once in a while but it is for the sake of your children. Be good watchmen for them. Watch and pray that they will come out of this strong in their faith in the Lord!