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Welcome ππΌ to some new readers this Friday!
I believe milestones are worth mentioning and because we have a few new parents this week, this newsletter has officially crossed the 5οΈβ£0οΈβ£0οΈβ£ reader mark!
My goal is to help you amplify your power-decade of parenting so that your kids will have a home they love for a lifetime. You can always read more here.β
I don't know if you and I share a similar trait or not, but we might.
Sadly, I've often been more afraid as a parent about the things that I'm getting wrong than what I might be doing right with my kids.
Are they a good friend or are they mean?
Are they being truthful or are they a liar?
Are they respectful towards other adults?
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Will they grow up with a good work ethic?
Will they know how to stand up for themselves?
Will they wind up with all of my worst attributes?
I know that I shouldn't operate this way, but I'll admit that I internalize my kid's behaviors and choices as a reflection of my role as a dad. I've been working on it for years.
It is one of the easiest parent pitfalls we face and will trap you if you aren't careful.
When my oldest daughter didn't try hard enough on the soccer field, I took it personally and remember letting her have it. She was only 6. π
When we dragged my son kicking and screaming from the playground, I recall being embarrassed as other parents watched on. π₯΄
When my youngest daughter refused to eat her dinner in front of our family, I felt a sense of failure, even though my mom says I did it too. π
Raising kids, especially in the 3-13 season you are in, there are endless moments where you need to experience or give grace.
Here's the truth about your everyday life right now:
As I approach 2 decades of being a dad, the more I regret not practicing grace often enough at home. Here's what we learned through the struggle of it all:
Grace-filled homes don't rely on fear or shame to motivate.
Grace-filled homes leave room for imperfect and never finished.
Grace-filled homes recognize that individual growth can take years.
Grace-filled homes are not parent or child-centric but share the spotlight.
Grace-filled homes don't ignore discipline but do it in a way that facilitates learning and change instead of retaliation.
If you need a visual to think about how grace is applied in your home, I suggest you grab the four-legged stool, tucked underneath your kitchen counter.
Think of practicing it like this:
There are 4 types of relationships in most homes where giving grace can be transformational for your family.
It looks different in every season of their lives...
Every season is a brand new one as a parent, which is normal...
Let's just say this one is difficult, but ...
This is likely the toughest of them all, but you can ...
Without one of the 4-Legs of Grace, your home will get wobbly fast.
But a family that habitually practices giving grace, makes it possible to have:
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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.
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