Advocate

Even as I have been learning to "Care Less About My Kids", I am also learning that I have to be an advocate for them. I hate conflict and messy people situations, but I have realized that though there are times I need to let go and there are times when I need to push for things. My kids need to know that I will go to bat for them in any tough situation.

A few weeks ago, I took Annie to the doctor because she was having some trouble breathing. My doctor didn't think it was Asthma, he had some other name for it - sensitive bronchial something, but he did prescribe an inhaler. We left the doctor's office, went to lunch and Menard's then went to Walgreens to pick up the prescription. They said it would be another hour. I couldn't wait another hour. I had already waited, had 3 fussy kids in the car and I had to get home in time for the bus. So I told them to forget it! I called the nurse when I got home and asked her to fax the prescription to a place closer to our house instead. She said they couldn't do that - once it's gone, it's gone. I was kind of mad, but I just let it go. Well, for several weeks I have been meaning to call back and tell them to just make it happen. At the rate we are getting bills from the clinic I don't think it is too much to ask! I never got it done. So this weekend, Annie got sick and again had breathing trouble. I had to take her to Urgent Care and then we ended up in the Emergency Room. They gave her some medicine and a nebulizer treatment and she was better. I couldn't help being ticked at myself for not demanding that prescription. If we had the inhaler, maybe she wouldn't have to go to the doctor at all this weekend.

There are times when I haven't screwed up and have continued to pursue what was needed. When Grant needed speech therapy and wasn't getting any attention from the school, I found other options and finally with the principal's help got him the help he needed.

I don't want to become a pushy parent, so how do I know where the line is? When do you push, when do you let go? The truth is I don't know the answer! Maybe it's intuition or Supernatural prompting that tells us "This needs to happen!" In a lot of situations it is obvious, but sometimes it is hard to know.

I want my kids to realize that when they have issues or problems that they can't handle, I'll go the distance for them. And I can reassure them that whatever the issue, God's got it all under his control. Even if Mom and Dad don't get it right the first time, God is watching over us.

Psalm 140:7
O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle -