Once a parent, always a parent.

So, how do you communicate with your children? Do you get mad because that’s the only way to get their attention? Or do you speak in whispers to draw them in closer?

Parenting is super confusing. At one point, you think you have it all figured out. Yet, less than hours later, you are putting out a fire that you just told them not to do.

Motherhood is a sham! Just kidding–LOL! Seriously, though, it is a TON of work that does not come with a manual.

If there is one thing that I’ve learned from raising five kiddos is to stretch them so you don’t shrink them.

The K.I.S.S. ~ Stretch them, not to shrink them!

The strength of children is found in the ceiling. First you want a firm foundation, but the ceiling is what determines how far they will go. This means that wherever you hold the expectation, they will either rise to it or shrink back because it’s too easy.

My Dad always dreamed BIG!! Nothing was too BIG for my dad. And that’s probably why I had dreams of going to the Olympics, becoming Miss America, and being an OB/GYN physician. Oh, how small were my dreams.

But let me tell you, I may not have achieved any of them for a variety of reasons (which really doesn’t matter), the thought of going after them was well worth the dreams because of all the lessons learned had I not tried at all.

How are you teaching your children? Do you make it easy for them to achieve, or do you raise the bar for them to attempt and maybe even succeed?

If you want to be that parent who leads with love to serve them well, you want to stretch them, not to shrink them.

1. Raise the Bar: Your child is created for more, regardless of whether you can see it or not. When you give a gentle stretch to keep them reaching, you assist them in learning new life skills and training their mindset that nothing is impossible.
2. Lower Your Goals: Your children are not living your life. So don’t make what they are doing all about you! Instead, open their eyes to see what’s possible and help them dream bigger.
3. Dream the Impossible: With today’s technology, dreaming has become less prevalent in our society. Have you heard of ChatGPT? Well, if it’s the only thing that’s dreaming, our children are in trouble. So, rip what holds your child back. Encourage them to dream the impossible.

Our minds have not changed, but our attitudes have. Don’t let the sun go down on your children. Stretch them to the moon and back and see how they impact the world they touch.

“Be present. Be incredible. Be YOU!!!“