Saturday, April 28, 2007

Raising Kids

With our church hosting a Global Impact Celebration this weekend, we get to have a missionary speak during CONNECT group, so I get the week off from teaching.

The 1st speaker was great. Walker Moore, was here Wed & Thurs and he was both funny and challenging. Thursday was especially good. He talked about the concept of kids growing up, how they need to act like and be treated like adults at a specific time during their lives. I agree with the concept and can look back how in our son's lives how that has worked well for us and allowed our boys to learn some responsibility at a young age.

Tyler was a store manager of a dry cleaners at age 15, Corey has had his own business mowing yards for several years, and Brandon has had a job outside the home almost since the time he could drive. We have tried to make sure they are not given everything, and I feel they have an appreciation for the value of a dollar and that it is OK to work towards something before you get it.

I can just look around and still see people who call their 30 year old kids to get them out of bed in the morning so they are not late to work. The kids never learned any responsibility because they never mowed a yard or helped out around the house that I know of anyway.

Our boys are not perfect and have made mistakes, but the thing I am proudest of is that they have learned from the past and are better men today for it. No parent wants their kid to have to go through hard times or struggle with relationships or money or problems.

THAT is the point where kids have to grow up. When they go against the way they were raised and make a bad choice, they always know that love at our house is unconditional, but there are consequences for actions. When they take that responsibility, they become the men God wants them to be.

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