Do you have a family identity? What makes your family unique? What draws your children to you? Do you have fun traditions or silly songs or inside jokes you share?
It’s important that your children think, “I love my family.” Help your children to value their family. As they grow older, their family identity will keep them from ditching their values.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Introduction
Welcome to the Privilege of Parenting blog. This is our first entry. Starting from next week, expect to see an entry in your inbox every Monday morning.
John Wilmont once said, "Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories."
How many of us can relate to that? Megan and I had so many theories and ideas on parenting, but when we actually held our first baby in our arms we suddenly realized that it wasn't as easy as we thought. Parenting is a hard task. But it's also a great privilege. Although it can often be frustrating and difficult, I wouldn't change it for the world. My four children have enriched my life far more than I could ever have imagined. The moment they were born, my life got better. But that's from my point of view. I wonder if at the end of my children's lives they will say the same thing, "The moment I was born, my life got better...and better." I hope so. But to a large extent that depends on me (and their mother).
Parenting is one of the most important parts of life, yet few study it. We study leadership through books and seminars, careers through university, but when it comes to parenting we somehow expect it to come naturally. It will take hard work on your part and a resolve to not simply parent from your impulses, but train to become the best parent you can be.
Throughout this blog we’ll use personal examples. We hope they’ll serve you well, but what we don’t want to communicate is that we are the perfect mom and dad with all the answers. We’re not. We're just like you. We’re still learning. But that’s what makes a great parent – the desire and determination to get better and better. And in so doing, to make our children's lives better and better.
For this weekend. Take a moment to think about your child (or children). Write down a few things that you really love about them. You can just scribble them down on a pad. And then have a tender moment with each and show them what you wrote. Make them feel special...because they are!
John Wilmont once said, "Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories."
How many of us can relate to that? Megan and I had so many theories and ideas on parenting, but when we actually held our first baby in our arms we suddenly realized that it wasn't as easy as we thought. Parenting is a hard task. But it's also a great privilege. Although it can often be frustrating and difficult, I wouldn't change it for the world. My four children have enriched my life far more than I could ever have imagined. The moment they were born, my life got better. But that's from my point of view. I wonder if at the end of my children's lives they will say the same thing, "The moment I was born, my life got better...and better." I hope so. But to a large extent that depends on me (and their mother).
Parenting is one of the most important parts of life, yet few study it. We study leadership through books and seminars, careers through university, but when it comes to parenting we somehow expect it to come naturally. It will take hard work on your part and a resolve to not simply parent from your impulses, but train to become the best parent you can be.
Throughout this blog we’ll use personal examples. We hope they’ll serve you well, but what we don’t want to communicate is that we are the perfect mom and dad with all the answers. We’re not. We're just like you. We’re still learning. But that’s what makes a great parent – the desire and determination to get better and better. And in so doing, to make our children's lives better and better.
For this weekend. Take a moment to think about your child (or children). Write down a few things that you really love about them. You can just scribble them down on a pad. And then have a tender moment with each and show them what you wrote. Make them feel special...because they are!
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