Helping propel moms & dads of 3 to 13 year-olds to invest in their power-decade of parenting. Father of 3 teenagers and pastor of 20 years turned digital writer.
500 Fridays: Don't Stop Telling Stories
Stories Shape FuturesKids gravitate towards great stories. So many of them follow “The Heroes Journey.” Classics like Moana or Toy Story are legendary kids movies because of how well they accomplish this. Stories in the lives of your kids, end up shaping and molding them. Stories capture the mind and heart. They are big and powerful. Stories aren't only fantasy. They are also the easiest point of leverage that we have to teach and connect with our kids. Stories are sticky. We tried to have a story filled home, though most of the time it felt like a correction facility to be honest. As adults, our lives are directed by the stories we grew up believing in and the ideas we hold on to today. As parents, the stories we tell our kids reveal what we believe matters. Think about what you gravitate towards and end up sharing with your 3-13 year old... Stories of rags to riches. The types of people or actions you endorse in your stories are the characteristics your kids will find honorable and repeatable. The books you read together. Your stories chart a course for your children. Choose your stories wisely because those stories shape your children's futures. See you next Friday, |
Power-Decade Parenting
Helping propel moms & dads of 3 to 13 year-olds to invest in their power-decade of parenting. Father of 3 teenagers and pastor of 20 years turned digital writer.
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Long Summers (9 of 11) Farming Facts I come from a farming family. My great-grandfather purchased our family farm and his son, my grandfather, expanded it even more. I think it's the farming legacy of my family that instilled in me the value of long-term investments. There is an old wise farm saying that has resonated with me for years... The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today. Said...
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Long Summers (7 of 11) Defeating Discouragement Let's be honest: Everyday life as a power-decade parent is tough. You provide for physical needs.You slow down for emotional needs.You create fun and memorable moments.You attempt to bring calm to the total chaos. And yet, your kids give practically zero demonstration that they are "getting it." Rare are the signals that maturity, gratitude, or change is happening at all. It's enough to make a mom...
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Long Summers (5 of 11) Where Does It Come From? At various times during our power-decade of parenting, my wife or I said one of the following statements to our kids. Somewhere between 3-13, our kids heard us say these and dozens of other statements a lot like it... "Hey, sweetie, I want you to go to the window and order the snow cone by yourself this time." "Buddy, it's time for you to hop out of the car and head to the soccer tryout for your...