A Single Sentence from a Season AheadParenting is a team sport, so make sure you surround your kids with great people.
The Hard Things Pay OffAm I being too soft on them? Am I being too hard on them? I questioned my approach all the time as a dad when we were doing the daily work of raising our kids. I know I worried more that I was too hard on them when they were younger and too soft on them as they grew older. But I wanted them to be ready for real life. I hoped they'd develop some grit. I prayed they would be able to withstand the trials of life. I took it on as my job as their dad. In case you didn't realize it... my wife is the fun one in our family. I also know, as you do, that life isn't easy. So where does that leave parents like you? If hard things are a part of life, do you have a responsibility to equip your kids for what they will encounter someday? Absolutely you do. Sure you can try to buff out the trials they may face or in some cases bulldoze right over them, but you're doing them a long-term disservice if you do. Nothing brings out a host of challenges like the family pet or in our case, pets. Getting a new puppy is fun but hard. Daily walks, scooping poop and teaching young kids how to be responsible for the pet is good... but hard. When we had to put our first dog down it was heartbreaking. She was old and sick but it was still hard. It was the first time my kids had experienced a loss of that kind and it fell into the category of a hard part of life. There are all kinds of trials, challenges, and difficulties that your kids will face someday. So what is it that involved and intentional parents should be doing? I think I can best summarize our family's approach this way... As parents, do hard things with & for your kids. Do Hard Things With ThemYour kids need your help with hard things. Sometimes they need you to pull them through it as you lead the way. Other times they need you to push them on ahead while you provide support. Doing hard things with them is a must. It builds both your relationship and their character. A few hard things that we did together:
Do Hard Things For ThemYour kids also need to see you taking on hard things in life. It's part of our privilege and burden as parents to care for our kids by dealing with the tough stuff of life. Doing hard things for them is loving but not easy. They will be beyond thankful that you were willing to take on challenges because they will be the long-term beneficiaries from it. Some ways to do that are:
I promise that the hard things pay off. I wish there was another way, but I haven't found it. Our world has both joy and pain and we are the conduits during the formative years of our kid's lives to help them learn about it. See you next Friday! |
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.
Family Friday Newsletter - 2 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead Knowing your child is leaving someday helps shape how you spend today with them. How Did You Do It? I get this question about once a week from young parents I talk with. Maybe it's because I don't have the 😩 look on my face as much anymore like most parents of 3-13 year olds. Maybe it's because when I talk about my kids now my face is more 🤩 than it has ever been. I had coffee with a friend this...
Family Friday Newsletter - 2.5 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead Yes, our kids were little monsters when we tried to take them to the grocery store too. Bring Them Along My wife and I have an unpopular opinion on raising kids. Ok, it's stronger than an opinion. It's more like a low-key parent conviction for us. Here it is ... Parents shouldn't default to getting a babysitter as often as they do. Our conviction was born out of a belief that a volume of time...
Family Friday Newsletter - 2 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead If it's not uncomfortable for you both at times, then you need to show some more tough love to your kids. We Didn't "Cherish Every Season" If there's one emotion that parents don't need more of while in their power-decade season, it's shame. The feeling of pain or guilt that emerges when mom or dad realizes their family isn't measuring up. I felt it on many occasions and I reckon you have too. I...