As another year winds down and comes to a close, I’m reminded how close we are inching towards the college years for our daughter. Time is fleeting.

Over the years, she’s talked about a variety of careers she’d like, but like most children, they’ve morphed through the years. However, now they are solidifying more as she discovers how best to use her passions. It’s a cool uncovering to be a part of with her.

There are two words I’m finding I need to focus on more and more as a parent in these tender self-discovery years: encouragement and support.

Encouragement to challenge her to ask questions, to believe in herself, to be confident in the talents and passions God imprinted in her, and to go for it.

Support to listen to her ideas and concerns, to affirm the decisions she makes, to be there when she struggles and cheer her on to try again, and to reassure her — she can!

In the hurried pace of life, its easy to overlook the importance of those two words, but their impact is monumental. Be an anchor as your children find their path and give them the confidence they need to soar.

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.

One is roots.  The other is wings.  ~Hodding Carter, Jr.