Confidence of a Five-Year-Old
I want to live with the confidence of a five-year-old.
That thought flitted through my mind while my grandson hauled out his art supplies the day before Halloween.
“I’m turning the kitchen into a haunted house because I just learned how to draw cats,“ he informed me as held up a picture. “I can draw them really good.”
The picture below is one his cats. At first glance, I thought it was a sheep.
He was so confident in his drawing ability, he took a break from creating masterpieces and gave his little sister a tutorial in how to make them.
She was awestruck by his skill. “Your pictures are beautiful,” she breathed.
I was awestruck by his confidence. “How did he develop such self-assurance?” I wondered.
He drew picture after picture, blazing through paper and tape as he hung them from every available space. I could see how the love his parents speak into him every day is building him up.
Tell us how that made you feel.
We love you because you are our little boy.
You’re a good problem solver. You keep trying until you figure it out.
Look at all the things you’ve learned to do.
We are so glad to be your parents.
Even when my grandson is at his worse, and his parents hold him accountable for his behavior, they cover him with kindness and love.
Everyone makes mistakes.
We will always love you.
Have I ever told you about when I messed up when I was little?
Whatever happens, you are our son.
We forgive you.
Every day, in every way possible, this grandson of mine is wrapped in kindness and reminded of his parents’ constant love. The foundation of security they continually reinforce gives him the confidence to learn to ride a bike, to tie his shoes, to ask for forgiveness when he messes up, and to trust that his parents will grant it.
I want to live with the confidence of a five-year-old, and I imagine you do too.
But how can we do that when parenting a child with special needs constantly exposes our inadequacies? When our inability to provide what our kids need makes us feel like failures?
We do it by imitating my grandson. By listening to the words our heavenly parent continually speaks into us.
In Jeremiah 30:3, our Father says “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you out with kindness when his rebellious children were at their very worst.
In Romans 8:32, Paul describes our Father’s love by saying, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
In the Old Testament God built a foundation of security under his children. In the New Testament, he reinforced it in the shape of a cross. This security gives us confidence to pursue treatment options, speak up at IEP meetings, connect with other parents, make difficult phone calls, to seek forgiveness when we mess up, and to trust God to grant it.
For the rest of my days, I want to live with the confidence of a five-year-old. Thanks to the example of a little boy who draws cats like a budding Picasso and the word of God speaking truth into my heart, I can. So can you.
Written by Jolene Philo
