The most important role as a parent

I have been reminded over the last few days at Christmas that my most important role as a parent is to love my children. When you are around family and at lots of dinners and parties and public occasions, there can be pressure for your children to behave and possibly times when you feel they are being compared or judged. Children are often over-excited, can be ungrateful, can get the wrong idea about Christmas, can throw tantrums, say inappropriate things and if you are with people who aren't used to young children it can be embarrassing!

Normally in these situations I panic about my powers as a parent to discipline, worry that I'm doing something wrong, worry how others will see me etc. But I feel like God has opened my eyes to my most important role as a parent this Christmas and that is to love my children. I feel like I need to add the usual disclaimer that this includes teaching them the right way to behave, but there is so much more than this! 

Therefore, I am doing my job correctly if my children feel loved and secure, rather than minding their p's and q's and sitting good as gold at the dinner table. I want my children to understand grace and patience by the way I treat them, not the law and condemnation.

Thank you Jesus for being born into this broken world and coming to bring your grace and love. What an amazing example for us.