Welcome back. You belong here.
The title of this blog is just meant as a tease. Truth be told my wife and I often wonder if we’re any good at this thing called parenting.
But through all the doubts and times when we yell too much, talk too much, or say no (or yes) too much, we have some amazing kids.
We have three children, two girls 15 and 12.5 and a boy who loves to play the drums who’s 10.5. Our children are loving and kind, they are gifted and loved by God. They study hard,  are respectful and most of all they have a deep sense of purpose and calling in their lives (and their rooms are usually a mess).
So with that said, here are Ten Things We Do To Raise Great Kids (the first five are foundational, the last five are practical):
1. We accept that we don’t know what the heck we’re doing.
It’s important to accept we’ve never been here before and we often feel lost. It’s truly freeing to know that we’re not God, we’re not all-knowing, we make mistakes. Yes we read books, we talk to other parents, we read articles online, but realizing we’re not perfect takes some of the edge off.
2. It starts with us as a couple (or individuals).
Rachelle (my wife) and I try to make each other a priority each day and prioritize our marriage. We realize that more than money, devices or entertainment, what our children need most is great parents that love each other, are in love with Jesus and are living with purpose. Parenting starts with you, your own wellness, a commitment to your marriage (if you’re married), to yourself and others (if you’re single) and to holding short accounts with people you depend on-your sister, your mom, friends and family.
3. We have a long way to go but we’re making progress.
Every season is different, when our children were 3, 5 and 7 they needed Cheerios and Dora and the occasional cute outfit, now they want Justin Bieber, Instagram and twenty bucks. Both Rachelle and I realize we’re no longer at the beginning of parenting (thank God!), we’re not at the end, we’re somewhere in the middle, so every day we’re learning this is not a race but a journey, a walking through life together as a family not a competition.
4. Our parenting (and our children) are for God’s purposes, not our own.
Although we work at our parenting and our marriage, we’re not obsessed with being perfect parents but instead we try to remind ourselves that we’re doing this for the sake of others. Our hope is that our marriage is filled with love for other people, that our parenting is an example of the grace of God to others, that our children are not here just to make us proud, but to be awesome at what they do for the sake of others through Jesus.
5. Ultimately, if not by the grace of God, and the help of others, we would be lost.
We make mistakes all the time, we yell too much, we say yes (or not) too often, we give them too many speeches. This is why we ultimately fall back on the grace of God, on the Spirit of God, on our faith in Jesus Christ to love and guide our children’s lives. We also realize we need OTHERS to love our children and speak into their lives, teachers, mentors, pastors, podcasts, grandparents, coaches, team mates. Alone, we will fail, but together with God’s love, we never will. Most of all, we know that God’s love in Jesus will never fail us.
So what are some practical ways to raise great kids?
Next week, I’ll post five practical steps we can take to raise great kids.
Thank you for being here,
Trig