Article March 11, 2019 Issue

What helped me help my son

Name Withheld

Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor’s Christian Science Perspective column, January 4, 2019.

I so clearly remember first meeting our adopted baby, Sean (not his real name). He eagerly watched our every movement. To us, he was perfect.

As he grew, however, we noticed that he was constantly ready to do battle with the world. For instance, if someone accidentally bumped into him, he often lashed out. Afterward, he would have little recollection of what happened. And when we would lovingly correct him, he took it very sensitively, feeling that we had turned against him. Academics were difficult for him as well, making him feel even more self-conscious and unsure. It broke my heart to hear him ask why he didn’t have any friends or was never invited to a birthday party.

I’ve found it so helpful to pray for all my kids on a regular basis, but I found I especially needed to be spiritually grounded when caring for Sean. One idea that meant a lot to me was the concept of God as the divine Parent of everyone.

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