When we fail as parents...

Today is Parents and Teacher's meeting for my eldest son. I was anticipating that he's in the middle range and didn't make any trouble in school.

When I met his form teachers, the teachers said nice thing about him that he's people's person and could mix well with everybody even with those outcasts whom nobody want to befriend with.

As for his academics, he's not in the top class but he's doing pretty okay. Playful here and there but overall, nothing much to worry.

Then, this was the million dollar question when I asked the teacher about punishment from school which he needed to stay back after class especially during the exam. The teachers were caught in surprise and so did I.

They told me that they never had such punishment and in fact all the children needed to leave the class right after the dismissal.

I was burning mad, I felt cheated, disappointed and couldn't help to control myself.

I asked him right after meeting the teachers what's going on, why did you lie ? What was the real truth ?

As much as I probed him, he kept changing the stories until I didn't know which one was the truth.

In the end, hopelessly,  I just told him that you can lie to mama, papa and teachers but God knows.

You can't lie to God.

He's already so good to you, He gives you perfect health, smart, complete family and yet you made Him cries.

After dropping him at home, I told him to pray to God, ask His forgiveness and this Sunday please go for confession. I told him after you pray, then tell the truth  and that's the only story that I will regard it as the truth. If you're still lying, that's between you and God.

I told my husband about that and I know that he's also felt upset and disappointed.

We were wondering why he didn't want to tell the truth, is this something that he has done so badly that he's afraid of punishment or it's the way we handled it that makes him fear of us.

After all the kids were asleep for afternoon nap, I started to calm down, prayed and surrendered to God. It's been a hectic day for my mental well being.

I told God, what should I do, Am I failed as a mother to keep our children in the right path ?

Then there's a voice telling me that God loves me as who I am regardless whether I am good, bad or failed parents. Then the voice said "Forgive your son, love him as the way he is. Because love conquered all and redeem his soul." "His lie is between God and him."

The voice said that " human is born with original sins, how many times you want to keep it straight, there are times that you will fall."

As I am a sinner, who am I to judge ?

It kept reminding me to love him unconditionally, saying positive and encouraging words instead of negative and judging words.

Suddenly, I found myself in the God's Kingdom, I felt peace and loved by God.

Well, like what I wrote before about detachment. Children are purely gift from God, He entrusted us but they are not ours forever.

We, as parents who are not perfect either will do our best to be good parents and guide them in the right path but we couldn't control them to be as holy as saints how much we want it to happen.

There are times that they will fall into sins but from that they will learn that God is a mercy and forgiving God through parents' actions.