Little Mothers

I think every little girl is a 'little mother'. They love to play with dollies, have make believe tea parties and keep house. I had a little room in my grandmother's upstairs which was my house. I loved to go up there and rock in the rocking chair with my baby doll. I even had a full sized buggy for that doll. But what about when you are too old for playing dollies but, although you have maternal instincts which long to be fulfilled, you do not yet have your own family?

I believe that you can 'mother' without actually being a mother yourself. My children are so blessed to have many wonderful young women in their lives who love to spend time with them and practise their mothering skills in the process. One of these 'little mothers' is our dear friend, Mary. Despite having a degree in Christian youth and children's work, Mary is unable to work at the moment. And although she is presently engaged in a Godly courtship, she does not have current wedding plans. So what does she do in this time of waiting? Does she while away her time dreaming of what might be in the future? No, she prepares for the future by spending time with families wherein she can practise her parenting skills and gain other domestic insights for her future life as a wife and mother. But what if she never marries, I hear you say, what a waste it would be then. Not so. For Mary's time spent with our family does not just benefit her; it has enormous impact on my boys that she is in their lives. They love to spend time with her and engage in many fun activities such as blackberry picking, visiting the play park, baking and gardening. And they learn much about their heavenly Father from spending time with such a Godly young woman.

The Titus 2 model of young women being taught by older women is sadly overlooked in today's churches. Don't misunderstand me, I am not claiming to have taught Mary very much in the way of parenting; she was pretty much streets ahead of me from the beginning. However, by spending time as part of our family, she has had a safe space in which to develop and practise her ideas about parenting. And I have valued her help enormously. I would love to see other families adopting young women in this way. In our experience, it is a blessing to all involved.