Big Picture Parenting Helps

Parenting kids into being upstanding adults is not easy

 BUT

When you have gone through it once or twice

you have a unique insight and an advantage to those 

going through it the first time.

You see, although every child has their own

challenges, their own strengths, their own path...

As a seasoned parent, you usually know

that 

every moment is 

important 

and 

every moment will

eventually pass.

As a seasoned parent, 

you usually know 

when to advise your child,

 when to tell them to figure it out on their own,

when to tell them to just pull back for a spell,

and when to step in.

If you pay attention and learn from your mistakes...

you realize that you need to 

deal with the issue at the moment 

and

look further then today 

To keep working on the relationships with 

the people around you

because 

time has a funny way of healing hurtful words, 

and 

"stick your foot in your mouth" mistakes.

(that's the "eventually pass" part)

For me, I find this insight extremely useful.

Sadly....

I make mistakes, I guess we all do.

I have moments when I wish 

I could take back my words or even actions

 and 

when I wish I could have just let things 

work out and not stepped in.

BUT

With a little experience under my belt,

I am usually able to take a step back to see the big picture.

I assure you that I don't think my kids are perfect, lol.

That is a terrible mistake I see in many parents.

My kids make mistakes everyday. 

(don't we all)

They have their moments when they are 

hurtful, arrogant, untrue, disrespectful, and messy.

I've never met a human being that has never had their 

less honorable moments.

The key is what we do when they have their

low, as well as, high moments in life

I have always believed that through struggles and victories 

 you find your strength.

Not only find your strength but if you can humble yourself....

through struggle you also find the

 areas in yourself that need work.

What you do with that insight is who you become.

As parents, we need to continue to advise our kids this.

We are helping them shape who they are and what they value.

It is different for every family.

For my family,

there are some very firm boundaries that is not to be crossed.

Then, there are some boundaries 

that are not to be crossed but we realize might be tested.

We realize they might try to cross some boundaries...

we know that some days

they will do what they shouldn't and we might never find out.

BUT

looking at the big picture guides us.

Seeing that big picture

helps guide us to either let life be the consequence or 

step in and lay the law down.

To know when to walk away and 

when to stand and weather the storm.

Parents, here's your encouragement today...

From one mom to another.

This to0 shall pass.

I'm not just talking about bad times but good times as well.

And it's ok.

Each child is unique. 

Each child will struggle with different things.

They will all have high and low moments.

They all need to learn to work through both kind of moments.

Since we pray for them to have a long healthy life...

they will need the skills to -

know how to keep going since life keeps moving forward

know how to work with people they don't care for 

know when to not give in

know when to let things slide

know that every person has value 

know when to invest in a relationship and when not to.

I feel blessed to be able to look at the journey 

of my two older daughters and see the 

maturity and strength that came out of their struggles.

I see their good intentions, their protective nature, 

and their sense of importance.

I've let them spread their wings and see them flying beautifully!

Some days their flight isn't as smooth but usually they let their

father and I bring them down to tweak their "wings" so they

can once again enjoy the friendly skies:)

I still have 2 birdies in the nest not yet ready to fly solo.

One birdie is doing test flights and with test flights is learning.

Another birdie is still growing strong wings in the nest.