When Your Kids Humble You

So, all the kids had their checkups and it was my turn to sit in the dentist chair. They were getting antsy since we had been there so long, but I figured it was safe to go back and get my teeth cleaned and leave them in the waiting room. He was about halfway through my cleaning, when he said, “You know, it’s always so good to see all of you come in here. It’s not often you see kids so well-behaved. They just get along so well together and there’s so much harmony among them.”

I was beaming with pride when, as if on cue, the receptionist came back to the room where I was and said…

 “Umm, mom? There’s some rough-housing going on in the waiting room. One of the little ones seems to be hurt, and there’s some blood involved.”Seriously? I wasn’t even ten seconds into my “proud mama” moment when it was rudely snatched from my grasp! I jumped off that dentist chair, snatched the paper towel bib from around my neck, and booked it to the waiting room.

All I had to do was open that door and glare. That was it. No words, no pointed finger, no shaking head…just that evil glare of death (I’m sure all you mamas know what I’m talking about). The kids immediately shut their mouths and sat down on the chairs, as if nothing at all had just occurred. Korben just dabbed at his bloody lip, and looked straight ahead, seemingly intrigued by the poster on the wall about the effects of gum disease.

It happens.

Our kids embarrass us.

All. The. Time.

God’s Word tells us that the wise shouldn’t boast in their wisdom, the strong shouldn’t boast in his strength, and the rich shouldn’t boast in their riches, and, in the same vein, the moms shouldn’t boast in their mothering. What we should be boasting in is that we know God. Not just know about Him, but really, truly know Him. (Jeremiah 9: 23-34).

Our kids will embarrass us, but that’s okay. If we are raising our children to be trophies, then God will make sure that our pride is soon humbled. We should be raising our kids to be blessings in this world, not to just bless us. Grow some tough skin, Mama, because those embarrassing days are going to happen. Don’t worry about it. Your children are not to be objects of boasting anyway. We’re supposed to be boasting in one thing only ~ our awesome God! Instead of thinking of your children as a reflection of how others will think of you, try to remember that they are growing and learning and will make mistakes. The ultimate goal is to have them reflect Christ.

Anyway, I’m sure the dentist got a good laugh about it later!