At age eight or nine, my daughter still loved playing with baby dolls. I started wondering if maybe she was getting a little old for such things. Shouldn’t she progress into older pursuits like reading chapter books, learning to bake, or going to slumber parties with friends? She sometimes did those things, but mostly, she loved her dolls. We tried to interest her in other activities. After all, we didn’t want her friends to tease her about being a baby who still played house. We eventually even forbade her to take her doll with her to the store or church.

I’ve seen it time and time again and I’ve even done it myself. I’ve rushed my children to a new phase of life before they were ready. I didn’t do it intentionally. I just worried about their development.  Or sometimes I got so excited seeing their amazing growth and development that I pushed them a little too hard to keep moving. I didn’t let them settle in and enjoy being that particular age.

As it turns out, my daughter was doing what came naturally to her. She loved nurturing and mothering even as a child. Today, she is the mother of five children and she and her husband will welcome a sixth next month. She’s probably the best mom I’ve ever known. It’s as if God created her for motherhood. I wish I hadn’t worried so much about trying to get her to “grow up.”

If you find yourself frustrated by a stage your child seems to be “stuck” in, relax. God may have programmed him for that very thing. Can’t get him to give up video games, cartoons, puppets, or talking in funny voices? Maybe God designed him to be a game developer, animator, teacher, or an entertainer. I’m thinking Jim Henson’s mom probably had a few concerns about her son! But he made a name for himself with puppets! Who would have thought it? If needed, put a few boundaries in place (no one should play video games or watch TV for hours on end) but encourage their creativity and talk with them about what they love about their favorite activities. Suggest careers that use their talents. Give them a vision to reach for.

Don’t hurry your children through childhood. Believe me, that will happen on its own much faster than you ever dream it will. Enjoy their funny, quirky selves. And above all, let them live the way God designed them.

Do you wonder if something your child does is age appropriate? Is it possible God is giving you a glimpse into the plan He has for their life?