A Message from Peter Holmes

Being a parent is one of the most rich and rewarding experiences that life has to offer. It's also one of the most challenging.

As I write this, I'm sick. And my wife is sick. And our two amazing little boys are running rampant through our home in their underwear building "traps" and "barricades." To travel from my bedroom to the kitchen I now have to navigate through a minefield of Legos and climb over a wall of toys. And did I mention the trip wires? You've really got to watch your step around here at the moment.

And of course, that's all pretty adorable. I love my boys to the moon and back. And their shenanigans don't make me angry, they make me laugh. The only problem is that right now laughter sends me into a fit of uncontrollable coughing. And it's hard to watch out for booby traps when you're coughing like that.

Can you relate? If you're a parent, I know you can. We're all currently in the middle of another long winter of rain and illness and school obligations and work responsibilities and being trapped indoors. Parenting isn't easy even in ideal circumstances, and when circumstances are less than ideal it can feel darn near impossible.

So when the going gets tough, what do we do? I've found that simplifying my schedule can help. So can picking up a parenting book, or asking my mom and dad for advice. But sometimes what I really need is just a break. A calm in the storm. A few hours of rest, and quiet.

And I'm not alone. As I've talked with parents at BCC over the last couple of years, there has been one felt need that has emerged time and time again. And it hasn't been parenting classes, or parenting books, or parenting podcasts. All of those can be extremely helpful, but sometimes we don't need more information. Sometimes, we just need a break.

So let's try that out.

I can't make your parenting challenges go away. I can't keep you and your kids from getting sick this winter. And I don't know the trick to keeping Legos off the floor (if you do, please call me). But I can give you a break.

On February 2nd we're hosting an event at BCC called "Kids Night Out." It's going to be an evening of fun for your kids, and an evening off for you. So come drop off your children with us, and enjoy some time to yourself. Try that restaurant you've been hearing about. See a movie. Go to a bookstore. Relax and recharge. And know that your kids will be in good hands.

To get signed up visit beaverton.cc/kids.

Peter Holmes
Pastor of Families