Tradeoffs

 Tradeoffs 

In parenting, every decision you make is a tangible trade off. You can rock to sleep and enjoy a faster sleep routine, but you’ll probably need to do it again later since your baby doesn’t self soothe. You can relax the rule and let your child go without discipline, but they will test your boundaries next time since no repercussions followed through. You can be the fun parent and indulge in delicious sweets, but you will have to grapple with the sugar high that accompanies it. 

Now, I speak as a snuggle loving, really don’t feel like disciplining right now, chocolate chips in every pancake mom, so no judgment here. There’s a balance to everything and you as the parent are responsible for choosing your battles and caring for your children wisely.

Instead, I call out the reality of the trade off because it demonstrates that there is something we are choosing in every decision we make, whether conscious or not. 

So how foolish is it then when we make these choices and then forget what good we saw and instead fixate on the trade off? 

You choose a spouse because of his wonderful qualities, but grumble when his thriftiness says no to a larger eating out budget. You pick a job because it offers you excitement or salary or culture, but enviously look to what another role has that yours is missing. You become a parent because children are a joy and honor, but look at them as barriers to your old independence and delights. 

There are difficulties and unintended consequences that come with tradeoffs, and while they can certainly be challenging and discouraging, we ought to remember what we chose in the first place. 

A godly husband who wants to steward the family budget with biblical giving in mind. The delight of spending my days with my boys, parenting them intimately and shaping their minds. The privilege of being the comfort and nourishment my baby needs to sleep and grow. 

Our disposition towards these things comes down to where we decide to focus our minds. So today, forget the down side and remember the why. Remember the good. And may your heart be filled with thanksgiving to the One who has granted every good thing.