A commitment to goodness

This #thankyouthurday, I am grateful for a commitment to goodness.

My almost-four-year-old son has been engaging in challenging behavior. That sentence really does not capture the extent of our struggles, but, whatever. The point is we are learning together—and I am so grateful all his caregivers share a commitment to goodness.

There is no such thing as a bad kid. Not even a bad person, by that logic, since all adults were once kids. (And I would argue many adults still are.)

But when someone behaves badly, on repeat, for months…whew, it can be tempting to assign a label! And even though I haven’t actually wanted to consider my son “bad,” I am aware that others might. And I confess that a completely illogical part of me fears he could “become bad” if his behaviors don’t change.

However, I am fiercely committed to his goodness. And thank goodness. Because I know firsthand what it feels like for a person to give up on you, to decide a relationship is not worth working for. It’s a pretty ick experience — especially in the context of an adult giving up on a child.

Fortunately, it is possible to offer unconditional love and also hold boundaries. And fortunately, there is an abundance of grace in my universe, both to give and receive.

So it’s okay for me to worry, if I must. But the truth is that my child is good, and I am grateful to have that truth as a North Star.

Love > fear,
Christina

p.s. In the event you are also navigating child-related challenges, I recommend Good Inside.