When Your Child Gets Their Heart Broken

I think one of the toughest things about being a parent is when your child gets their heart broken.

When they are little, it’s things more like, “he wouldn’t share,” or “I wasn’t invited to the birthday party.”

When they get older, it’s friendships and boy-girl relationships. It’s biting words from someone you “thought” was your friend, and broken hearts from crushes and first loves.

Every single one hurts. Every single one matters for they chip away at the heart your child so freely offered up.

It’s hard to see your child hurting. It’s heartbreaking to see them cry.  It’s even tougher to know you can’t fix it.

As much as I want to sew up and heal my child’s broken heart at times; I don’t think that’s what God has asked me to do. I don’t think He even wants me to. I think sometimes the most important thing for me to do is to simply be there. To love. To hold. To listen.

I told my daughter once that it hurts to hurt, but it hurts more to hurt all alone. And I believe that.  So my most important job during those times may be to simply help my children know that they are not alone. That they WILL be okay again…in time. And to love them with everything I’ve got.

Parenting is definitely not for the weak at heart. I can’t run in and fix everything – but I can definitely always offer my open arms.  And maybe those open arms will help my children find the courage to love and risk again.  And when they do, I’ll be walking right there through the risk with them.