Reflection: Kindergarten Graduation

As I was getting ready for church this morning, I was thinking about the day my second son graduated from kindergarten.  The event was rather nice as the teachers had put together a little program for the families.  One of the things the MC did as each child walked across the stage, to receive their diploma, was to state what each child wanted to be when they grew up.

Many of the children wanted to be teachers, doctors, and veterenarians.  One boy, wearing a suit jacket proudly looked into the audience as it was announced that he wanted to be the President of the United States!  The crowd cheered!  Finally, it was Josh's turn.  He walked onto stage, looking cute in his orange school shirt, and looked out into the audience as the MC stated, "When Josh grows up he wants to be a dad."  A lump swelled in my throat as I looked at my sweet and innocent boy, and it was then that I realized how big of an impression his daddy had made (and still makes) in his life that he felt inspired to be just like him! 

As parents, we want our children to grow up to be successful, useful members of society; but do we remember to teach them the importance of family?  Are we successfully training them to be loving and kind parents?  To love God above all else?  There are many distractions.  School, sports, music lessons, scouts, friends, etc.  I know that I could be doing much better.  Lengthening my stride to be more nurturing taking the time to get to know each of my children better.  Seriously, sometimes it is really hard to get past the schedules that my life revolves around. 

We have been taught that, "the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World).  As parents we are obligated to teach our children about God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, to teach them how to pray, to love one another, and so much more so that they can one day pass all of that knowledge on.  It is a tall order to fill, in my opinion, and somewhat daunting.  But I know that I --that we can rely on the Lord to help us know the best ways to teach our children.

p.s.  The only thing I remember about my kindergarten graduation was that I had to hold hands with a boy named Beau as we walked out of the room.  All of the kids had to do that and it was torture....