My nephew came over today to hang out with us. As I listened from the other room, I could hear him and my youngest son loudly playing with their toys. You could hear the clank of building blocks falling and talk of make-believe scenarios and the joy of just playing and having a good time. As I listened in, I could not help but to smile. I loved hearing them just being kids. We live in a world that is so eager to have children grow up too fast. Though different ages, require different maturity and responsibility; often, children are pushed to mature faster than needed and that is sometimes appropriate. Friend, we must allow kids, to just be kids. This world is often trying to push adult agendas or adult behavior on our young. May we protect our children and allow them just to be kids. Time will quickly move and adulthood will arrive sooner than planned. May we just let them age appropriately. That does mean we over shelter and do not teach them about life and the world; just do so age appropriately.  Let them play with toys, swing on swing sets longer, get in squirt gun fights and be silly! Let them enjoy their youth! Friend, having children is a gift. As we teach them about God’s love and raise them to be the people that God has called them to be; may we enjoy all the stages as they come and not be so eager to rush them while their young.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Matthew 18:6 NIV

“If anyone causes one of these little ones- those who believe in me- to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.