Surviving Parenthood

by Kirk Kraft

Kirk Kraft of Marysville is married and the father of four children, all under 8 years old, in whom he takes great delight. He believes parenting is a journey filled with joyous peaks and difficult valleys, but it is also the greatest privilege in the world. He can be reached at kraftka@verizon.net.

It's hard to believe summer is almost over. Soon kids will be entering the halls of education once more, strapping themselves in for another school year. For the parents of young children, this can be an exhilarating time and a difficult one. For those who send their little ones off to kindergarten for the first time, the adjustment is anything but easy.

The children themselves have to adapt to a more structured environment and meeting new people their own age. Parents must grapple with the fact that their little ones are moving into spheres of influence outside your home and family.

It's a beautiful thing to watch children learn. Seeing them come home each day from school with something they didn't know before, or excitedly talking about a new friend, is rewarding. As parents we want to raise our kids with the tools to help them not only to learn and grow as human beings but to respect others as well.

For the toddlers left at home, this can be a great time to bond with mom while siblings are away at school. I am eager to watch our three-year-old, Katarina, grow closer to Sarah, her baby sister, and to my wife as well. In her own way, she will be "instructing" Sarah on becoming a big girl.

This year in our home we have a second-grader and a kindergartner. My son, who is five, is certainly ready for all-day school. He probably could have handled it in pre-school because he is such an active and personable little guy. My daughter continues to grow in knowledge and as a person. When our youngest daughter was experiencing life-threatening liver issues earlier this year, Arianna maintained her joyful spirit even amidst the uncertainty and tension.

Yes, they do grow much too quickly, but how wonderful to see their personalities expand and sprout in such beautiful ways. While there can be heartache in watching them grow up, and the inevitable pain associated with a child making poor choices, it should inspire us to pour that much more time and effort into loving and guiding them while they are ours to instruct.

As with so much in life, savor these special school time memories and save them for the day when all you have are those precious childhood photographs.