Each One is Different

The first portion of Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go….”

While I think there are several child-rearing applications we can draw from this verse, one of my favorites is thinking about how each child we have is different in temperament and personality. If you have more than one child, be they boys or girls, you would certainly agree that they can be as different as night and day.

Part of my job as a mom is to discover those differences and determine the best way to help each child develop into all that God would have him to be. It’s an ongoing process to encourage them in the areas that interest them and provide opportunities for them to develop whatever talents they may have.

Of course, there are certainly day-to-day differences as well. On school mornings, we have one daughter whose feet hit the floor as soon as her alarm clock goes off. She immediately starts making her bed and getting dressed for the day. The other daughter, however, only snuggles further under the covers and needs a little “coaxing” to get her day going!

I am hoping to continually improve in this area – recognizing each child as an individual and encouraging her in a way that “fits” with how they are made.

The original version of this post was published on February 18, 2009.

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