Keeping it Real on the Parenting Field…

Posted by on Jan 29, 2016 | 0 comments

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Keeping it real on the parenting field…
What a week.  We ran through it, trying to not “bump” into each other too hard.
It felt like an obstacle course of edgy feelings, over-tired tones, rushed ungrateful grunts.

I looked at my son Jackson at some point, when he was embracing his 15, almost 16 year old commander role, “Telling” me what I needed to do,
when I gently reminded him that I don’t actually work for him. In fact my role is called MOM and my ranking is above his.  I say this because he is an amazing young man with a big heart, but he is still a teen.  So is my daughter Grace.

If you have teens under your roof these Public Service Announcements are necessary every now and then.

It’s called a role check.

As we exhaled at dinner last night, I reminded us ALL of the expectations for living under this roof…
We CELEBRATE one another.
WE are KIND. (in word and actions)
We APPRECIATE one another and what we do for each other with a simple, “Thank you”.
We are HONEST.
We LEAD with LOVE.
We do OUR BEST each day, and yes it will look different each day, this is where we use grace.

In the hustle and bustle of life, we parents, can forget to parent.

I see it in my house, as well as with the many parents I work with.
We are busy, weary, tired and overwhelmed, and don’t want the conflict, the interruptions, the inconveniences that “following through” and setting the boundaries up creates. But we must. And we must, without getting in the mud.

When we use our voices well, we earn respect and create peace (eventually) in our homes.  We are teaching them good communications skills.
If we want to raise healthy, independent, respectful and loving young adults, we have to show up daily and parent.  If it’s any consolation, if you are consistent (yes, you might have to do, say, enforce something over and over for them to get it, and respect to be earned), it gets easier, I promise.

But you will have have weeks where you are not your best, and your beautiful amazing sweet children you birthed, are full on teenagers.
Breathe, we all have weeks like this. Ask for grace, dust yourself off, pray for wisdom and guidance, then find your parenting footing and rise.

One thing I know to be true, after having 5 uniquely different kids, God placed everything inside you to be the best parent to each amazing child you were given~ Trust in that today!

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