Lighting Their Eyes

Today in class we are discussing the Isaiah chapters found in 2 Nephi 17-24. We start by going through chapter 17 verse by verse. We usually cover 17 and 18 and then touch on 19 and 20, but there isn’t time for much else. But the exciting thing is that chapters 17 and 18 can only be understood by first discussing the historical context that is found in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28. The students come to class a little discouraged having read the Isaiah chapters and finding them as clear as mud. But then we discuss the history and lights begin to go on as the meaning starts to click and becomes easy to understand. That is the most rewarding part of being a teacher. It is so fun to watch their eyes light up with understanding.

But isn’t that one of the best parts of being a parent also? The lights coming on isn’t always as obvious with parenting as with teaching for many reasons. Sometimes the lights come on when you aren’t around. Other times a child purposely doesn’t want you to notice the lights are coming on and hides the fact. He or she doesn’t want to admit that anything is being learned from you! But there are times when you see and realize that you are getting through to them and they are learning from you. For example, whenever we talked about keeping the Sabbath day holy there were usually a few arguments and kids trying to push the limits. But then days would pass and suddenly I’d overhear one of them explaining the Sabbath rules to a friend and they would be defending the very rules they had described as “stupid” before.

As parents we have to watch and savor those moments. Those times are wonderful times and as the children grow older you find out that there were many, many more moments of lights going on than you ever realized at the time.