As I write this last article about the encouragement chapter of Kidztar Publishing’s MirrorMeBook ™, I have a smile from ear to ear. My mind is wandering with blissful thoughts of my children. The first time my daughter Chloe finished reading her first book. Her big blue eyes lit with confidence; her pride shone through her smile. The same effect radiated from my son as he discovered how to write his name for the first time. I truly can’t think of anything greater than watching my children discover confidence.

Unfortunately these wonderful moments had to move on to more challenging books and unfamiliar words to be written. I found it painful to watch my children struggle to conquer these new tasks. I stepped in as a loving father telling my daughter the word, holding my sons hand as we wrote the words together. This continued for some time. At the end of our homework sessions, there was no joy, no spring in their step. My kids were just simply not glowing anymore. Of course this brought me down; my smile faded to a pondering frown.

Late one night I sat down after the kids had turned in, at the kitchen table to chew over the negativity coming from our homework sessions. I turned my head down for a moment of thought. I came across the book my daughter was struggling with. In just a few minutes had finished the entire book. I took myself and my mind for a walk around the house pondering over the simplicity of her book. During this hike I came across the dinner dishes I had to finish up. My oldest son (age 6) had been the only one to eat his meal entirely. Why did this happen?

Earlier that day, Caleb decided he was going to make dinner for the family. How sweet is that? I watched Caleb shuffle through the pots and pans looking for the right one. He pulled out a large pot and asked me to put it on the stove. “Caleb, you can’t even lift that pot how are you going to cook in it?”

“Dad, you said I was a good cook!”

What do I say to that? I have told him this many times. What am I saying to him now? I let him know I did have faith in him and asked if I could help, as I have always done.