The new year brings reflections. Those of you parenting kids of any age, here are five essential parenting principles I’ve learned make a difference in the life of a child.
- Lessons children learn are often things we minimize. As my children are reaching adulthood, values they’re adhering to are from little things I minimized. Certain books and stories we made available to them during their childhood years have significantly impacted their decisions and beliefs, along with principles and traditions I didn’t even realize we established.
- Being intentional about activities and time with children is important even when you’re tired or busy. For me, the days of reading before naptime are gone, but my kids remind me that intentional one-on-one time is still important. It may not be as easy as a five-minute read, but it must still feeds the soul in similar ways.
- Time to connect is essential, no matter how fleeting or “uncool” it is. As a school counselor, I’m challenged at how disconnected families are becoming. Being present with each other just doesn’t mean being in the same room with each other. Being engaged in conversation and making eye contact is becoming a lost art. Being engaged with our kids is the new extra-curricular sport we need to learn how to play.
- It’s important to live with honesty and integrity in front of our kids. It’s not always the easiest and requires hard work. But it’s worth it. Kids need these character traits modeled at home because home still has the greatest influence on their lives.
- Pour your family values into your children. Children need intrinsic values and truth. They crave them and need them in their lives for a moral compass in a rapidly changing world. Make the time to invest these into your family life.
What are truths you have learned from your parenting experiences? How do you pour your values and truths into your lifestyle?
Hey, in case you missed it, I had the privilege to be a guest on The Harvest Show on LeSea Broadcasting. View the episode here!
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