Sometimes it is very hard to look beyond the here and now when you’re in the throes of parenting. “I said put your shoes on now. We’ve got to go!” Or, “didn’t you know that that homework was due today?” But then there are other times when our children are caught up in the here and now, and experience has shown us that this too, shall pass. We know that teenage crushes are likely not enduring love. We know that high school assignments can affect long-term education and life goals. But our relationship as parent and child will endure, and we’re the ones that have to protect it. That’s part of parenting. Situations and challenges in life come and go. But what remains constant is our children knowing that we’ll always be there for them, no matter what. We as parents have to think long-term because we’re shaping future adults and future parents.
The Long-Term View in Marriage