She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. —Proverbs 31:27-28, NLT

As parents, I think we all have that deep desire that as our children become adults, they will stand and recognize all the sacrifices we made, the rules we implemented and bless us for it. They will be proud of how we raised them. We hope to see the fruits of our labor.

I read the above passage recently for probably the 100th time and something stood out to me that had never stood out before. We tend to cling to “her children stand and bless her” because that is the result.  But … what are the four words prior to it? “… SUFFERS NOTHING TO LAZINESS.”

It is not by accident that the words are placed strategically there. Parenting is work — simple as that, even if you have a two-parent home, but certainly when you are a single parent. It requires intention and planning. This is when children feel secure — no matter their age. Too often, with the weight of financial planning, emotional stresses and exhaustion, we simply “give in” and do not effectively parent. We lose structure, because we are too tired to implement it. I know I have been guilty.

As single parents, it is crucial to understand that this is a season a life — a short span of time. Even if you parent alone for 18 years, it is still simply a short span of time, considering the length of your whole life.

In such a short time, our children become adults. The last thing any of us would want is that our children would look back and wish that their parents had provided them more structure, more discipline and given them more time.

I want to encourage all the single parents out there that even during your darkest hour, your absolute valley, when you are most exhausted and do not feel like parenting … when you push through, when you sacrifice, when you muster up that last bit of energy to provide a safe, secure environment for your kids, it is ALL worth it. For one day, they will stand and bless you.

 

Author/Speaker, Jennifer Maggio, is considered one of the nation’s leading experts on single parent issues. Her new book, Overwhelmed: The Life of a Single Mom is selling out nationwide and being used in churches around the country. For more info, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.