Here & Now

I read a quote in a book last night that has had me thinking ever since.

"We worry about what a child will be tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."--Stacia Tauscher
                                                                                               

Hmmmm.  
Made me think of several conversations I have had with my kids lately.  And it made me think about how much I try to overthink, overanalyze, and sometimes overparent.
I have watched my kids go in and out of phases.  Joey used to be into the WWF wrestling thing.  He wanted to watch every show he could.  Dave was very calm about it, entering into debates with him about who was the best, and would even sit down and watch with him.  I thought it was fake and stupid and told them both so.  Dave smiled and later said, "It's ok, Tracey.  It's a phase.  Let him enjoy it."
And, he was right it passed.
Hannah is into American Idol and Justin Bieber.  Before that it was the Jonas Brothers.  That lasted forever and a day.  And even though that is past it's prime...the posters still linger.  Ugh.  I have tried to get rid of them...to no avail.  Dave has the same attitude with all of this too.  He watches A.I. with her every week, enjoying the time spent with her.
Jessi is completely into the American Girl doll phase, which she thinks will last into adulthood.  She explained to me last night how she wants to earn money to buy the "Girl of the Year" doll this year.  And how she wants to continue to collect them into the future.  I am not so hip on it, and tried to explain to her how expensive they are, and how she already has two dolls and what in the world is she going to do with them later on.
The look on her face broke my heart.  It was a mix of hurt for not sharing her passion, and frustration in not getting through to me. Her response?
"Well, I thought I would save them for my daughters." Very sweet.
  And in that moment I realized that I need to remember who she is right now, and what is important to her right now.  Not always trying to plan ahead.
My whole point is that so very often, I get so involved in thinking about what will be best for them down the road that I forget that they need to be free to grow and learn...and enjoy life...right now. Every moment. 
I am sure I will never stop thinking about the future, and spending time helping them prepare for it.  But, I need to balance that out and remember I was a kid once too.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow..." Matthew 6:34a (The Message)
Just thinking about that today.  My parenting skills are still very much a work in progress.  Anyone else?