(Continuation 4/7 of The Candid Approach. To start at the beginning click here)
Overcoming family challenges fortify us. We have learned this through experience and want to share with you our secrets!
4. Family Challenges Fortify- by Sara
Roots
We are a military family, always moving, always changing. The above photo was our most recent move across the country with our 5th child only a few days old. One of the reasons I never wanted to marry a military man was because I wanted my children to have roots.
I grew up in the same state from 1st grade on. I loved where I lived and had lots of family and friends around me all the time. It was what I knew and loved and I wanted it for my children. I should have never said it out loud because that is when God laughs at you and says, “I thought you’d never ask.” He has a sense of humor, believe me.
My husband grew up in a military family and they moved around all the time and he loved it. It didn’t take long for him to convince me that having roots didn’t depend on where you live but how you live.
Roots are less about location and more about relationships.
Ok, sold. Plus, you’re hot. No, but really, we thought this all out- our future family depended on it. We narrowed it down and decided our family needed to be TWO things to survive.
FORTIFIED and MOLDABLE.
Our family would not survive long deployments and moves every two years if we did not act as one. We needed to have a goal, a focus, a purpose, to unite us and bring us together. That is where the Army came in handy, ironically.
We knew each one of us would face obstacles with this lifestyle but we were determined to persevere and succeed. Our passion to have a happy family drove us to a realization that challenges were the key.
The Army Makes Challenges
In the Army there are thousands of challenges and obstacles a soldier must endure and conquer. When doing these challenges alone it is undoubtedly daunting and maybe even impossible.
However, with a battle buddy or company of soldiers who work together to conquer the challenge… they can crush it! In the end, soldiers feel a sense of camaraderie, brotherhood even, for each other. They have to exercise trust in one another and humility that they couldn’t do it on their own.
(Soldiers marching back from accomplishing weeks of training in the woods. Kids cheered them on and told them they were proud of them. As we were leaving Gid would not come with me as he saw in the distance one soldier left dragging behind. He refused to go home until this lone soldier passed us and Gid clapped and shouted, “Good Job!” at him. I told you… camaraderie.)
As a family, that is what we have tried to do.
We give ourselves challenges to accomplish so that we can feel the unity and camaraderie that comes from it.
Be it an obstacle course at the playground, a challenge to not throw the chess board when you’re losing, or a 30 day sugar free challenge- we say “I have a challenge for you,” on a daily basis. We take it seriously and have so much fun with it.
It’s incredible what accomplishing even the simplest challenge can do.
Our family is stronger because of them.
Overcoming family challenges fortify us!
We struck gold.
Our family knew we hit it big with challenges when our children started making their own up between themselves and we witnessed what a fortified family truly looks like.
There is nothing like watching the loving bond between your children as they help each other physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally overcome challenges—together. They are there for each other through thick and thin.
They are a team now and work together to accomplish victories. Every family would benefit from attacking challenges together this way. It develops a special and unique form of Family Pride (<—-that is a link).
Actually, go ahead and stop right here and click on that link. Family Pride is a must to read and discover… another EXCELLENT way to unite and fortify your family.
I gave the boys a challenge to see if they could clean their bedroom wall in a certain amount of time. They added to the challenge by teaching Journey how to do it.
Many hands make quick work!
Shoot. Gotta run to Parent Teacher Conferences. Wish me luck. Or rather, my sons!
It’s Real.
Sara
Read Step 5>>
