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That’s not the description of a very slow car at a drag race. It’s the crucial years of a child’s first decade of life.
Mentors and other leaders, who are familiar with Leadership Design Group, know we view life in terms of decades: 0-10; 10-20; 20-30; etc. Doing so helps to provide insight into how we view our lives at each stage, and how we grow and develop in all of life’s dimensions throughout our years on this earth.
The first decade of life, from birth to age 10, brings with it a tremendous amount of growth in the physical dimension of life. A little person emerges out of the birth canal as a totally dependent human being weighing not much more than a 2-liter bottle of Coke!
By the time 10 years pass by, this once tiny bundle has not only doubled their weight 3 times over (you wouldn’t want to maintain this pace in subsequent decades of your life), but the child has also likely learned to read and write, is maturing in their reasoning skills, and is developing feelings and emotions. This child is maintaining friendships, doing chores in order to earn money for that special toy or game, and hopefully has become somewhat independent and contributing member of a family that loves them. At this stage it is amazing and a true joy to watch a child venture into developing in all 8 dimensions of his or her young life.
We personally happen to be closely associated with 9 members of this 0-10 decade, in the form of 9 grandchildren ranging in age from 1 year to 10 years old. These kiddos are the active offspring of our three adult children and their spouses.
We’ve come to realize that this first decade of life is fertile ground for these kiddos to be raised to be whole children. Well on their way to becoming whole teens, and ultimately to become healthy, they are becoming fully functioning whole members of their world for their remaining decades.
As grandparents (in our 6th decade) we want to do whatever we can to come alongside the parents of these amazing kiddos, to help them to be nurtured in each dimension of their lives. The parents of a first decade child have the wonderful privilege of walking with that child into their future, and helping them to uncover who God has created them to be.
This is an honorable calling…far surpassing any other vocation! In these early years it is such a privilege to help usher the child through the beginning stages of their understanding of Jesus’ love for them exactly as they are.
Ideally, when a child ventures into their second decade (and the sometimes tumultuous teen years), they will begin to be intentional about the next steps of their life. They will be building a sturdy foundation on which to establish their personal belief system, nurture quality friendships, appropriately express feelings, and establish healthy values. Essentially, they are on their way to establishing life-giving habits in the core areas of their being.
When most of us think about grand-parenting, our minds may not immediately go to thinking in terms of the 8 dimensions of these wonderful creatures. We, as well as the other grandparents we know, are typically simply loving and enjoying the daylights out of every moment spent with the grandkids…and we are then grateful to let them go back home to the parents after a couple night stay!
Let us not underestimate the gift we give our grandchild when they feel enjoyed by us. Enjoy them! To feel enjoyed by another is powerful!
As you do, whether you be a parent, grandparent, other relative or family friend, are you remembering to study this child / grandchild, to be able to encourage and strengthen him or her in the various aspects of their 8 dimensional life?
Are you helping to create healthy food habits, wise spending and saving and giving habits, and bolstering them in talents God has imparted to them?
How about providing opportunities to explore the arts, places, books, music, skills, etc.?
Since all of the world is so new in this first decade of life, they can be excited to explore life through all of their developing senses. There are lots of opportunities to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell new things. It is an important task to enjoy with them what they love and long for.
As grandparents, we want to consider how we can be influences for good in all 8 dimensions of our grand children’s lives. Certainly Mom and Dad have the 24/7 responsibility of being examples of God’s love to that child, but as grandparents, or other friends, what impact will we leave?
- What will be our legacy?
- Will we have imprinted substantive ways for them to live forward?
- Do we walk with them with empathetic loving-kindness when they fail, and grant new chances to begin again?
- Are we courageous enough to share with them out of our own weaknesses and failings?
- What impact will we have as we accompany them as they journey through their early decades?
- How can we enhance their release to be all that they were designed and created to be?
Our own lives have prepared us for these years in which we will journey with our grandchildren, and other children of our friends…rejoicing with them in their mountain-top experiences, and sorrowing with them through the dark valley seasons when our hearts nearly break for them. This is life in every decade.
As any leader, LDG mentor, family friend, or parent will testify, there is tremendous value in helping others to explore who they are in the context of the 8 dimensions of a whole life. Coming alongside a bundle of energy in the first decade of life is an extraordinary privilege!
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