A Single Sentence from a Season AheadBring Them AlongMy 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 with mom and dad will unlock great things for your kids. For us, this was our strongly held belief and I share it not to cast judgement or shame. It is more about a reordering of your thought process as a power-decade parent. When it comes time to choose whether to take your kids with you or get a sitter, which do you try harder to make happen? To Walmart Choosing to take young kids with you, most everywhere you go, will be one of the best investments you can make in their life. I'm not claiming that we did this 100% of the time at all, but it was the default choice we tried hard to make. We must have been invited to a lot of weddings when our kids were younger because my memories always recall those scenarios first. It wasn't only the wedding, though, but the bridal shower my wife would attend. Then there was the trip to Target to buy the wedding present, before Amazon Prime changed the game of course. Most of the time, we loaded up at least one, if not all, of the kids and brought them along too. It is the harder choice, but we've seen it pay off 100x. The With You PrincipleI fully expect that you might disagree with me on this, which is fine. I also know that you could feel a sense of guilt or shame if/when you don't take your kids with you. That is not helpful at all. Parents are making in-the-moment decisions every hour of the day about how to keep moving forward. Here is what I know to be true:
So, here are 6 reasons parents should embrace the with you principle: It helps kids build social skills. Even when they are young, being in situations where they have to engage in adult moments is beneficial. It is inconvenient, which is a good thing. Medals are not given for choosing the hardest path, but no one grows via the easy way every time. It introduces kids to a wide variety of people. They gain by interacting with others who aren't exactly like their friends & family. It places the family together more often. Once kids hit elementary school, families become more divided unless they pursue togetherness. It gives everyone stories to share. Having volumes of shared experiences provides a lifetime of "do you remember when we did...?" It forces some self-sufficiency. Being in situations that are not always 'kid-friendly' gives them reps to learn how to cope and mature. When it comes to including and involving your kids, every family needs to make their own choices. There is after all a wide range of normal. Bid Idea: Choosing the with you principle as a family will build great qualities in your kids and valuable moments for your family. See You Next Friday - Finley PS. I'd love to know any thoughts or reactions you have (good and bad!) about the "with you" principle if you want to write me back. |
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 - 3.5 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead A volume of time with mom and dad will unlock great things for your kids. "Figure It Out" Our kids heard me say this in our home more times than I can count. It was used less when they were little, but with each year they grew older, they heard it more and more. I know they grew tired of it, and I'm certain I said it with the wrong tone many, many times. That doesn't mean it wasn't one of the...
Family Friday Newsletter - 2.5 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead Twenty years ago, as a young father, I copied down these 6 Power Phrases that every kid needs to hear from their parent. Downhill vs Uphill Somewhere around the time when each of my kids turned 5, my wife and I blocked off a few hours on a sunny weekend and attempted to teach our kids how to ride a bike. We went to a part of the Razorback Greenway near our house and I ran alongside them while...
Family Friday Newsletter - 2.5 min read by: Finley Robinson A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead One of the greatest joys you experience as a parent is seeing the moments that you love eventually embraced by your kids. The Half-Whole Family-isms are special and unique trademarks that exist in each home. They show up as sayings, traditions, meals, and practices. People outside the family don't easily understand them but everyone inside gets it. Mine eats Pig Sandwiches.We have reunions at...