Family Friday Newsletter - 2.5 min read by: Finley Robinson

A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead

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 differently, don't wait to do something now that will have a long-lasting impact years down the road.

Build Their Team

I had coffee with a young dad this week who has 3 daughters. We talked about their neighborhood of friends and the young boys he gets to invest in too. He's building a team of parents and protectors for his girls.

I have written before about the importance of building relational insurance for your kids.

Another way to think about this concept is to build a team of voices that will carry your children through the power-decade of their life and beyond.

Looking back now, I'm so glad that we "planted the tree" 20 years ago of other people who could speak into the lives of our kids besides just mom & dad.

The great thing, is that a team of people can look different for every family. I believe it is important that you get started now if you haven't already.

Of course, you'll always want to keep an open dialogue going between you, your kids, and any team members you allow into your family.

Potential Team Members

Here is a breakdown of the kinds of people we were fortunate enough to have on our "Family Team" over the years.

• Grandparents - Often a great built-in option for fun & support for your kids.
• Aunts & Uncles - They can offer a helpful family extension and can speak into your kid's lives and personalities in a unique way.
• Teachers - If you hear that a school or skills teacher connects deeply with a specific child, make sure to encourage more of it.
• Coaches - Kids spend so much time with their coaches. Not every coach is a good one, but the best ones will impact your kids for a lifetime.
• Church Leaders - Having secondary voices to reaffirm the faith of your family is invaluable for your kid's spiritual development.
• Neighborhood Adults - Being in the homes of other families allows your kids to experience differences and build other adult relationships.
• Older Kids - Intentional time around older kids, one step ahead, can be scary but is invaluable for helping your kids grow and mature.

Skills & Values Learned

The 20-year list is long, but here are many of the benefits I've seen in our kids that were learned from the team that surrounded them.

Fun
Work
Heart
Courage
Patience
Laughter
Adversity
Gratitude
Creativity
Discipline
Forgiveness
Failing Well
Different POV
Follow-through
Hilarious Stories
Lasting Memories

Another ancient saying that reaffirms this idea states it this way...

It takes a village to raise a child.

I imagine it was an old farming community somewhere that first crafted that idea. With one eye on your kids and another watching closely for the right team members, I promise that you'll be thankful for the payoff.

The long-term tree-planting effort of building a team around your kids should start today if it hasn't already.

See You Next Friday - Finley