“In the 21st century, most Americans marry for love. We choose partners who we hope will be our soulmates for life. When children come along, we believe that we can press pause on the soulmate narrative, because parenthood has become our new priority and religion. We raise our children as best we can, and we know that we have succeeded if they leave us, going out into the world to find partners and have children of their own. Once our gods have left us, we try to pick up the pieces of our long neglected marriages and find new purpose. Is it surprising that divorce rates are rising fastest for new empty nesters? Perhaps it is time that we gave the parenthood religion a second thought.” – Danielle Teller
Today, one of my friends on Facebook posted this article link which succinctly clarifies what is going on in America with parenting. It is what Dwight and I have felt has been happening for a long time, but each time we bring it up, we get the “judgmental treatment.” But, if you look around at all of the divorce that is rampant in Christian circles, one of the main reasons is, “Well, we just grew apart.” We can not ignore this issue any longer. It is devastating marriages and tearing apart Christian families–which are very precious to our God.
Danielle Teller’s article, “In The Name of The Child,” details the slippery slope of children-worship from those annoying Baby on Board stickers to what we have now: a generation of self-centered, self-absorbed, entitled, passive-aggressive kids who will soon be entering the work force, marrying and starting families of their own, and caring for aging parents (or not). I will not try to explain it further as Danielle adeptly hits every point on the head. I wish every mother and father would sit down together and read this article with an open mind, because no married couple with children is safe. And that’s just the reality of this pervasive issue.
Psalm 127:3 tells us, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.” But let’s not worship the gift over the Giver of good gifts (James 1:17) or elevate them to a pedestal above our spouses. When the kids fly the coop, we will still have our spouses… or not.
God bless,
Rebecca
