4. Making our day-week-month, our world about our kids
Working in the non-profit world has redirected our extra time. We simply can’t center our lives around our children when we are centering our lives around Christ.
Child-centered homes don’t help children in the long-run.
5. The desire to make our children happy (all the time)
If you visited my house, you’d find out pretty quickly that someone’s always unhappy. It’s not our job to keep our kids happy.
Don’t carry that impossible burden. Typically when our kids are unhappy, it’s because we are standing our ground.
And that makes for much healthier kids in the future.
6. Made Up Awards
You know what I’m talking about. Rewarding everyone who participates in every area only fosters an inflated self esteem. Kids don’t need rewards for every little thing.
It’s okay to lose, they learn through failure as much as success.
7. Fixing all their problems
I don’t like to see my kids struggling. There’s a part of every parent that longs to make things right in their child’s world. But it’s NOT healthy to create a false reality.
You won’t always be there to do so and not only that, if you’re doing it all for your child, why would they need to learn to do it themselves?
Fixing all their problems is really only creating more challenges in the future.
8. Stuff
We could all probably fill a half dozen trash bags with just stuff. Excess. Try it. Bag it up and get your kids to help you and give it to someone who needs it.
9. Unrealistic Expectations
My girls are always asking for manicures. I didn’t have one until I was 27 years old, married and pregnant. I’m not opposed to the occasional treat, but it’s the attitude of expecting it because you as a parent or others have it.
Just because I have an iPhone, doesn’t mean my children will get one. We don’t have to give our kids everything we have.
It’s okay to make them WAIT for things in life.
It’s okay to toss out these things. Go ahead, give it a try.
Article published by wearethatfamily.com.
