Taller than Grandma – Milestones

On our recent trip to visit with family, we found that our 13 year old son is now talker than grandma.  Now, grandma may be shorter than some Grandmothers but we were wondering when the overtaking would take place.  Children grow up and get talker and smarter and wiser.  I don’t know if our son believes that this is a milestone.  But this could be an important milestone.  It confirms for him that “yes” he is getting taller.  Of course many kids grow and become talker than their family members, but for our son, being a little smaller than most, this accomplishment is something that is special.

Our son’s had milestones before, but we as parents have been the ones who thought it was special.  The first bite of real food.  The first time he slept through the night. Then potty training, the first day of kindergarten and 1^st grade.  All of these milestones were probably unnoticed by our son, but we as the parents have had some great celebrations of these milestones and a little grieving too.  As our son grows older my hunch is that milestones will become more important for our son and we hope that we will be able to celebrate these adequately and to help him know how proud and special these milestones are for him.

It is important for family to celebrate the milestones of children and young people and it is important for the church to celebrate milestones too.  Too often the church misses celebrating the milestones and misses the love and care that it could show to young people.

I believe that it is important for families and the church to celebrate milestones for young people.  Doing so not only helps young people know that they are cared for and loved, but helps them know that it’s important to stretch and reach for more milestones.

How could families and the church celebrate the milestones of young person?  One book that could help is ‘Blessings and Rituals For the Journey of Life,” by Susan Langhauser.  This book provides milestone celebrations and rituals for congregations, but the last chapter helps anyone shape a “blessing” of milestones themselves.  Another resource that gives guidance for the church is “The Child in our Hands,” Milestones notebook.  This a part of a large set of resources for the church on how to encourage and enrich faith in children and young people.  Here’s the link for this resource:  http://store.vibrantfaith.org/product_p/miee.htm

So how did we celebrate our son’s growth, with praise and grace and ice cream.  We also talked to him about how it’s important to move through other milestones and that we would be celebrating with him.  So did our church celebrate our son’s growth this time, no; but in the future, I expect that they will and help him know how a family of faith can care and extend love and grace.