(Part two of MY LIFE, with my child in the LEAD ROLE)
How many times have you said “my kid IS going do this and my kid WILL NEVER do that”?
Before OUR babies are even born, THEY had huge shoes to fill (literally and figuratively)! GOD knows it doesn’t take long for US to bog them down, with a LAUNDRY LIST of things they must and will accomplish DURING THEIR LIFETIME! The sad part is that WE ignore the fact that this is INHERENTLY WRONG.
YES, WE want OUR children to demonstrate various desirable qualities. Such as being: kind, loving, independent, loyal, generous, intelligent, driven… Shall I continue??? ;)
HOWEVER, this is where WE must draw the line.
“MY CHILD’S LIFE ISN'T MY CHANCE TO RIGHT MY WRONGS!!!!!!”
Too often, WE as parents look at OUR child’s life, as OUR “do over”.
WE have to recognize how detrimental this way of thinking is (to OUR children and to OURSELVES)! Yes, WE should (absolutely) try to discourage OUR children from making the same mistakes that we made. In fact, we should even put safe guards in place to help them avoid the pitfalls WE WERE UNABLE TO AVOID (But we have to proceed with caution)…
WE CAN’T TREAT THEM AS AN OFFENDER, JUST BECAUSE WE WERE. WE also cannot give them OUR DREAMS UNLESS they want them for themselves! AS parents, WE have every right to Define OUR desires for them, NOT expectations! Remember THESE (desires vs. expectations) are too distinctly different things!
A few things to remember:
· They have to make their own mistakes its unavoidable
· Share your past with your kids especially your hard knocks
· Don’t set up extreme safe guards for your kids because you are scared that they will make the same mistakes
· LET YOUR CHILD LIVE THEIR LIFE NOT THE LIFE YOU WANTED TO LIVE
Remember, WE are required to love, educate and guide them. IF WE do OUR BEST to be GREAT parents… They will probably do THEIR BEST to be GREAT kids aka HUMAN BEINGS!;)
