Yesterday, I shared something that thrilled me about raising my boys. I've seen a lot of growth in their lives over the past year and a half, while I've been babysitting. I think it has taught them to be helpful and caring. But this doesn't happen so much with their siblings.
We still have a long way to go. Most days, I just deal with things as they come up. There is no plan to work on certain things - no goals, except the ultimate one - reaching adulthood.
So I propose that we should tell our children which areas we should be working on and give them ideas of how to do that. We are training after all. In training, for a run (this is mostly assumption on my part, having never done this), I'm sure that the trainer doesn't say "Go. Run." I'm sure there are warm-up and cool-down exercises. "Watch out for this or that." etc.
In the same way, when we have a child working on an issue - anger, disobedience, lying - they need help. When you feel like this, watch out! Help them see the warning signs and triggers.
Work together with them and then you will be on the same team. Sharpie knows that we're trying to help him branch out and be less of an introvert. Carpenter asked him why he didn't want to do a certain part of ushering. He said, it makes him nervous. So Carpenter was able to share with Sharpie how he felt as a young man and what he'd learned - that when he's thinking about himself, he's nervous and when he's thinking about others, he's not.
Especially this summer, there is a lot of time to work on stuff. Give a project. Have them write a report or give a presentation on a certain struggles. Help them evaluate why they aren't doing what they should.
Making the most of today,
Steph
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