Ladies and gentlemen, we are back with the “Real”-ationship Series! Today, I want to talk about one of the most challenging yet rewarding roles many of us have: being a parent.
Let’s dive right in with a little secret about our kiddos. For the first 12 to 14 years of their lives, they’re going to idolize us. We’re their heroes, their rock stars, the ones who know it all. But then, something shifts. They hit a button and suddenly, they start to demonize us. My friend, Tara LaPointe, knows exactly what I’m talking about.
I invite you to watch this week’s video, to lean in close, and embrace the button pushing.
I know y’all never did anything like this, right? Because you were perfect. But the truth is, kids mess up. They need to learn. They don’t learn without experiencing some hurt, and with that pain comes barriers – walls they put up to protect themselves. You remember, right? You were a kid once. That’s what we’ve been talking about so far in our series. But our hope for them is to do it all better than us, isn’t it? Our hope for them is not to grab on tight and never let go of the walls they put up to protect their hearts. And you shouldn’t either. You don’t have to hold on to the rules you created from those painful moments. Love your children. Let them fail. Let them learn. Let them push back. See yourself in them, and give yourself the same grace to move forward.
Here’s the trick: you teach them to their future. You’re teaching to their aspirations, their future selves. Makes sense, right? But the real trick is in figuring out how to do that for yourself. Teach to your future, and your hopes and aspirations.
This journey with your children mirrors your own path of self-discovery and growth. Just as our kids push back against the rules and identities we’ve set for them, we too must confront and overcome the rules and beliefs ingrained in us from our own childhoods. Those old rules might have been necessary back then, but as we grow, we must reassess and redefine them to suit the people we’ve become. By doing so, we not only free ourselves from outdated limitations but also set a powerful example for our children, showing them the importance of continuous personal growth and the courage to rewrite our own stories.
We all have a story, and there is so much to gain from revisiting and taking a deeper look at our own. What walls did you put into place as a child? Why are they still up? And how do you break through them? This will be an adventure! Tell us in the comments below: What does the future look like from this angle?
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