Let’s just name it: motherhood did not get easier when they got older. It just got… louder, quieter, deeper, and somehow more confusing all at once. My momma used to always say, “Little kids, little problems… big kids, big problems,” and I never fully understood that until my own kids got older. Now, instead of diapers and nap schedules, you’re navigating attitudes, eye rolls, slammed doors, sports calendars, friend drama, and conversations that start with, “So… hypothetically…” and end with you whispering a prayer mid-sentence.
If you’re parenting a middle or high schooler, chances are you’ve wondered at least once this week if you’ve already messed up everything. You replay things you said (or shouldn’t have said). You worry about their choices, their hearts, their faith—especially when they seem uninterested, unimpressed, or totally unbothered by the things of God.
Here’s something you need to hear: God is not wringing His hands over your parenting.
He knew this stage was coming. He knew the late-night worries, the car-ride conversations that feel like sacred ground, and the days when your child seems to push you away while still needing you more than ever. And He trusted you with it.
Your role may look different now, but it is no less important. You are still setting a tone. You are still modeling faith—maybe now more by how you live than by what you say. Your kids are watching how you handle stress, disappointment, repentance, and grace. They’re noticing when you choose prayer over panic (even if it’s imperfect and quiet).
And momma, your faith counts—even when it feels unseen.
Some days faith looks like bold prayers over their future. Other days it looks like biting your tongue, choosing connection over correction, or trusting God with what you can’t control. That all counts. Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting the One who does.
If you’re tired, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you care. If you’re scared, it doesn’t mean you lack faith. It means you love deeply. And if you feel like you’re constantly handing your kids back to God, again and again—that might be exactly where you’re meant to be.
You are not behind. You are not too late. God is still at work in your kids’ hearts, and He’s still working in yours , too.
So keep showing up. Keep praying, even when you don’t see results yet. This season is holy ground—even when it feels hard.
And yes, you’re still doing better than you think.
Love,
Trish Barnes
Executive Women’s Director
