Our kids are growing up in a world where everything can be seen, shared, praised, and criticized. Image is everything. When I was younger, I never could have imagined a world where life is on display like it is today. There used to be a quietness growing up, space to figure things out with a few close friends.
That way of life is gone.
Raising kids today often feels like an impossible task. They are growing up in a world where their every move, choice, or flaw can make them fodder for social media. Many moms I talk with feel a heavy burden to help their kids build an identity that can sustain attacks.
And as a parent, that responsibility can feel overwhelming.
Matt and I have been married for 25 years. We dealt with our own share of scrutiny and public opinion throughout his career in professional baseball. We grew together, rooted in our faith, and learned to navigate the often harsh world of sports commentary.
But now, our two oldest boys, Jackson and Ethan, are on those same fields, playing in those same stadiums. They have the eyes of the fans, and what feels like the world, on them constantly.
When they have a bad day, it feels like everybody has an opinion about their worth. Scrutiny comes with the territory, as my boys are professional athletes. But as moms, we aren’t called to make their lives easier; we’re called to prepare them for the difficult seasons.
Consider Mary’s example as a mother. Talk about raising a child who would be publicly watched, misunderstood, and criticized. From the very beginning, her story didn’t fit neatly into people’s expectations. And as Jesus grew, the tension only increased. People questioned Him. Misunderstood Him. Eventually, they rejected Him.
Mary couldn’t shield Jesus from public criticism. She couldn’t control how people responded to Him. She couldn’t stop the hard parts of His story. And Mary had a front-row seat to all of it. But she stayed rooted. She stayed present. She was joyful. She trusted God with the boy who became a man right before her eyes. And that feels familiar.
Because we don’t raise strong, grounded kids by removing pressure. We raise them by helping them learn how to stand in it.
And maybe, in a world that watches everything, the most powerful thing we can do as parents is this: Create a home where our kids know they are seen for who they are — not for how they perform. A place where they don’t have to earn love. Where they can bring both their wins and their struggles. Where they know that when the noise of the world gets loud, they still have a place that is steady.
Drawing from Scripture, Mary’s life and my own experience, I’d like to offer a few specific principles to help moms raise resilient, faithful kids in today’s world…
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