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Hopes and Prayers for Our Children

Posted by dataperk on July 27, 2020

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  • Kari on Instagram

    Senior trip with my favorite high school grad 🌴 Senior trip with my favorite high school grad 🌴These girls are easy to celebrate and these moms are truly a joy to spend time with. Lots of fun, laughter, and memories made with this group!!!
    As my girls grow up, my writing grows up too. I gr As my girls grow up, my writing grows up too. I grow a heart for every new season they enter and what I want them to know. New on Substack, for paid subscribers, is one of my most popular articles that many moms have requested be expanded into a book (maybe one day😊). Find link in my bio or comment COLLEGE and I’ll message it to you. —————————————————— “It was a college football game weekend, and as my friend walked down sorority row with her teenage daughter, her daughter took it all in. The energy. The buzz. The sea of people dressed in the school colors, full of excitement and hope. Out of the blue, her daughter asked a question. “Mom, what’s the hardest part of college?” Her mother said the first thing that came to mind: Saying no. It was a funny answer, yet really true. Saying No is the hardest part of college. Whether it’s No to Domino’s pizza at midnight, No to going out on Tuesday night because you need to study, or No to someone who is pushing you against your better judgment, it is beneficial and wise to get comfortable saying No. Yet even with the invitations you pass up, college is unbelievably fun. It is a time of freedom, fun, and lifelong friends you’ll always feel close to because you help each other grow up. Having four daughters, I’ve thought a lot about preparing them for college. Here are 20 things I believe college girls should know.”
    Many years ago, as I wrote an article on teenage d Many years ago, as I wrote an article on teenage depression, the doctor I interviewed made a remark that ignited my desire to write for a younger audience. “The reason I love working with children and teenagers,” she said, “is because they’re so resilient. You can change the whole trajectory of their life. Early intervention is key. It’s a lot easier to intervene effectively when they’re young instead of years later, when they’ve been depressed so long the illness becomes incorporated into part of their identity.” In short, adults are harder to change. We are more set in our ways, our beliefs, and our mindsets. Children, on the other hand, are still forming their identities and mindsets. They are what parenting expert Haim Ginott once called “wet cement.” “Children are like wet cement,” he said. “Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” Right now, if you are raising or influencing the next generation, you have a window of opportunity that won’t always exist. Their concrete is still wet; their hearts and minds are still open. They are being deeply influenced by the people they know, the words they hear, and the events that shape them. As they grow up, their cement will harden. Their early impressions will solidify and set the stage for their self-perception and worldview. We all want the best for the next generation, and that is why it’s worth considering the marks we leave as we parent them, coach them, guide them, and impact their lives. In Ephesians 4:15, God tells us to speak the truth in love. In Proverbs 18:21, He says the tongue has the power of life and death. But what does this mean? How do we disciple and discipline adolescents – who can be challenging and surly at times – in a way that builds their spirit, not breaks their spirit? We can’t control what is said to our children outside our home – but we can control what is said inside our home. Following are some phrases to speak life to your child while they’re still at home🤍 *For more messages like this, comment DEVO for the link to my new devo for teenage girls or check out #loveherwellbook.
    What a joy to celebrate our Mountain Brook High Sc What a joy to celebrate our Mountain Brook High School graduate💛💚Roots and wings, do great things, Marie Claire!! We love you and can’t wait to cheer you on in your next chapter at Auburn!
    Our seniors did their elementary school walk this Our seniors did their elementary school walk this morning😭….and I’ve been flooded with memories since then of these girls and boys that I’ll always picture as 5th graders on the Camp Alpine trip. Even in kindergarten, we knew this was a special group. They had the best class dynamic and a lot of amazing parents that contributed to that dynamic. Our years at MBE felt pretty magical, and I’ll always have a soft spot for this school and every teacher and administrator that has loved these kids like their own. Once a Lancer, always a Lancer❤️🤍 A huge thank you to Mountain Brook Elementary, Mountain Brook Junior High, and Mountain Brook High School for the education, friendships, experiences, memories, and life-shaping lessons you’ve given Marie Claire and her classmates. Class of 2025, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. You are so loved!
    9th Grade Dance!🦩 9th Grade Dance!🦩
    Words can’t express how deeply touched and honor Words can’t express how deeply touched and honored we are that Camille won the Sid Ortis Award at 9th Grade Honors Night. Sid was “a friend to everyone.” He united our community with his courage, kindness, resilience, and love for LSU💜after being diagnosed with cancer before the start of 9th grade. Tragically, Sid passed away 14 months later, with his friends constantly coming and going and keeping vigil by his bedside, and though this October marks the 10 year anniversary, his spirit and legacy live on mightily through his family, friends, and #sidstrong community. Camille was a little girl when this transpired, yet I remember it vividly. Mountain Brook was awash with purple bows in honor of Sid, and you couldn’t help but be astonished and inspired by the bravery and faith of a 16-year-old boy living life to the fullest despite terrible circumstances and letting his classmates witness his journey to heaven. What a gift to have Scott Ortis, Sid’s father, present this award. He said that after Sid died, he couldn’t believe how many kids came up and said, “Sid was my best friend!” and my hope for Camille and her classmates is that they enter Mountain Brook High School next year with that same heart and aspiration. Sid left big shoes to fill, yet what a gift to have a vision of how to treat others and build the community we all long for. It’s the end of an era of the last Kampakis leaves Mountain Brook Junior High. What stands out, after 10 years here, is how they genuinely love these kids. The leadership we have in Donald Clayton, Derek Kennedy and Brook Gibbons sets a really positive tone, and I’m beyond grateful for their impact (along with so many teachers) on Camille and her sisters. I never thought I’d say that I’m sad to leave middle school, but I will miss this special group that has shaped my children during their most impressionable years. Your influence is a gift I can never repay❤️
    One thing that young parents often crave is a “f One thing that young parents often crave is a “formula” for raising great kids. Yet what I can say, at 50+ years of age, is that just because a child is thriving as they leave home doesn’t mean they’re set for life. Just because someone checks all the boxes doesn’t mean they’re close to God. We live in a broken world, and we’re all sinners in constant need of a Savior, and I’ve seen many people self-destruct in their 40s and 50s despite tremendous success in their 20s and 30s. I’ve also seen people turn their poor choices around in unbelievable ways when everyone assumed they were a lost cause. So while I believe in intentional parenting - and making peace with doing our part - I also believe in trusting God with the outcome of our efforts. Putting faith in Him above any formula. The Lord hears our prayers, and He loves our children more than we do, so be faithful in praying, steady in planting seeds and showing your child the way, and steadfast in asking Him to use every event for good and work miracles when miracles are needed🤍
    Marie Claire’s last day of high school —> firs Marie Claire’s last day of high school —> first day of kindergarten. Senior year, you are killing me!😭
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