In my last devotional blog, we talked about loving our children by Lead by Example and serving Others First.
Today, let’s talk about Varying Parenting Approaches and Engaging our children.
Varying Parenting Approaches
If you keep hitting a wall with one of your children, it’s time to step back and look for a ladder or a chair or another way around it. Look for common ground.
What do you and your child enjoy doing together? Taking a walk? Playing tennis or a specific video game? Shopping? Whatever it is, do it.
Use that common ground to talk about what it will take to take that wall down between you… even one brick at a time. It might take one time of doing your common interest activity without talking about the touchy subject to ease into the subject the next time you spend time together doing your special activity.
If you’ve been trying to drop hints to your child about the tough situation to avoid confrontation, it’s likely your child will use your vague approach to avoid the confrontation, as well. Hints set your children up to ignore the situation.
If you want your children to grow into honest and resilient adults, show them how to be one by being honest and resilient no matter how they respond.
Vary your approach.
Start a journal where you bring up a subject they write you back (or a Google Doc you share and can write back and forth to each other even while they’re at school).
Go get their favorite treat. Tell them a couple things you’re proud of them about. Bring up the touchy situation. Then finish up with telling them some things you love about them.
Engaging
Most parents tire of giving constant criticism and instruction. Many think that once their children level up into teenage land, their job is done and hope they’ve done enough. Please don’t stop engaging your children. Preferences and communication pathways may change, but in some ways your children need your engagement more as teens than even as preschoolers! Engaging them even with a minimal response shows them you love them no matter what! Don’t give up!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Continue to L.O.V.E. your children strong next month by:
Leading by Example, putting
Others First,
Varying your Parenting approach, and
Engaging them even when it’s hard!
Which of the phrases in the acrostic is hardest for you right now and why?