Ever have that desire to jump into the car for a very long drive… ALONE? Or feel the need to take a long walk by yourself rather than deal with another teenage drama or toddler meltdown? As a mom of 5, I know the feeling. But, you can’t quit. Take a break, but remember it’s always too soon to quit. Your kids need you to stay engaged! Yes, even those teens who act like they don’t need you at times, they need you too!
This is episode ten of a series I’ve been doing on my book, Parenting Beyond the Rules. Friend, we are in a fight for our families and for relationships with our kids. You can’t check out mentally, emotionally, or physically. You don’t have the luxury of telling them to come back when they are 18 or 25.
How To Stay Engaged
Parenting is hard. You have to communicate with your kids. I talked about this in part seven of this series when we looked at how to listen to your child. Develop and use those skills to show your child that you’re listening to them.
Constantly ask yourself: Who do my kids need me to be? What do my kids need from me? They always need you to give unconditional love. They certainly need you to walk with them, giving wisdom and compassion along the way. They need you to be steadfast. This means being unwavering, devoted, committed, disciplined, perseverant, and diligent. Your kids need to be able to trust that you will be there for them.
Mending Broken Relationships
What if the relationship is broken with one of your kids? You can take steps to repair broken relationships with your kids. This comes through forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. Don’t give up!
No End Date on Parenting
Some moms and dads act as if there’s an end date on this parenting gig. When the kids hit the golden age of 18, it’s over and the kids are now adults. The job is over. My husband and I have never had this mindset. We’ve instead had a more multigenerational mindset about parenting. We were open to having our parents living with us if they reached a point where they needed us to care for them. Our door is also open to any of our kids to come home if they fall on hard times. Our kids know that this is what it means to be Albers.
Time Flies
Parenting your children is a season that doesn’t last long. For me, it was motivating to think that I can only do this particular day once. When it’s over, it’s over. Remember that every single day, you have the opportunity to leave an imprint on your child’s heart. They will someday turn those imprints around as they parent your grandchildren.
Each child is unique. We’re not churning kids off an assembly line! You probably feel like there’s not enough of you to keep up with all of the demands, but stay engaged. Your kids need trust, respect, reliability, and care. If you don’t stand up and meet those needs, someone else will fill that void. You are raising kids who will step into the world and fulfill the assignment that God has given to them. Along the way, you are forging a relationship with your child that will stand the test of time.
References and Links
The following may contain affiliate links.
- Learn more about Parenting Beyond the Rules
Related Episodes
- Listen to Resolve Conflict – ETB #17
- Living with a Rebellious Child – ETB #87
- Resolve Conflict to Restore Relationships – ETB #106
- The Importance of Parenting Beyond the Rules (PBTR Part 1) – ETB #115
- Your Child is a Masterpiece (PBTR Part 2) – ETB #116
- When the Picture Gets Blurry (PBTR Part 3) – ETB #117
- Foundation of Relationship (PBTR Part 4) – ETB #118
- Giving Your Kids Unconditional Love (PBTR Part 5) – ETB #119
- How to Understand Your Child’s World (PBTR Part 6) – ETB #120
- How to Listen to Your Child (PBTR Part 7) – ETB #121
- The Power of Words (PBTR Part 8) – ETB #122
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