Pruning
Pruning: The cutting and trimming of plants to remove dead or injured wood, or to control and direct the new growth of a plant.
When pruning a plant, we realize that it does no not cause any pain to the plant. The pruning process does no harm to the plant, and in fact will aid in its future growth. However, when it comes to our kids’ lives,when the time comes for a bit of pruning, there can indeed be a little pain involved, even though we know that this process will indeed shape and enhance his/her future growth.
As we have seen, there can often be pests that infect our children. These can be any sort of outside influence that serve to stunt our children’s growth, whether that growth be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. When we begin to see the effects of these pests in our child’s lives, we often do not like the results often displayed in our child’s successive actions. As parents, we may then determine that some pruning is in order.
We may decide that our child must cut off either all or some contact with the outside influence that is stunting his/her growth. This can cause much friction at times between the parent and child, but the parent can keep in mind that this pruning process is a means to aid and direct the growth of the child.
When habits become manifest in our child’s life, we may then see another opportunity to get out our pruning shears. This time, too, can be painful, as cutting bad habits out of one’s lives can cause some distress. Once again, the parent will be reminded that this is a successful way to enhance the child’s growth and development.
Although pruning may seem to be a troublesome way to aid in our children’s growth, we can learn from the gardener that in the end it will result in a hearty, healthy plant.
