I’ve made mistakes in my parenting journey. Plenty of mistakes! I didn’t do it all right and I don’t have all of the answers. If I were to go back and start this process all over again, I would just make different mistakes because imperfect parents can’t parent perfectly. And your kids are imperfect too. In this series of podcast episodes centered on the themes from my book Parenting Beyond the Rules, I want to help you see how you can parent beyond the rules.
Why I Wrote Parenting Beyond the Rules
About the time that my youngest was graduating from high school, I started to ask the Lord what I was to do with the next season of my life. I share the story in the book about a meeting I had with my daughter and two graphic designers about starting a new company. In the midst of this, I felt God nudging me to write a book. I sat on that idea for a long time because I didn’t know how to write a book, get an agent, or work with a publisher. Well, after this meeting, my daughter pointed out that I’d done a lot of really cool things in my life BC (before children), but she went on to say, “Look at us kids. Look at what you and Daddy built.” She continued to tell me how this was now my season to pour into others. It was time to help other moms and dads navigate the seasons of life.
Now I’m a Grandma!
Life has changed a lot since that conversation. I’ve spoken to thousands and thousands about homeschooling, parenting, and strengths. I finally wrote that book, which became Parentings Beyond the Rules. And now, my babies are having babies. I’ve become a grandma and I’m pouring this knowledge and experience back into my own kids. My daughter said to me the other day, “Mom, look at our family!”
So, I felt like this is a good time to go through Parenting Beyond the Rules here on Equipped To Be. If you haven’t read the book, I encourage you to grab a copy on Amazon or wherever you buy books. Grab a copy for a friend. Get together with a small group and read it together.
We Need Rules
Above all else, guard your heart,
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
for everything you do flows from it.
We need laws and rules. Not having those things in place causes chaos, confusion, strife, and misunderstanding. Boundaries bring order, but there comes a point when we have to adjust them. Early on, you’re teaching your kids how to obey. As they grow, your rules, limits, and boundaries have to change as your kids grow and change. This doesn’t mean we are wishy-washy or the rules change by the day. It means bringing your kids along in the conversation. We can’t arbitrarily make rules.
Your children are a masterpiece in the making. God is the master architect while we and our kids are the work in progress. Every masterpiece looks a little different. It’s not like painting by numbers! How you raise one kid is not exactly how you should raise another. Each of your children has unique gifts, strengths, and talents. And you have the opportunity to help them discover what those are!
Through this podcast series and my book, I hope that you find ways to connect with your kids. I pray that you build stronger relationships and give each of your children what they need to become a masterpiece!
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