Adventures in Parenting

As a parent, we are continually learning along with our children. Here are 10 things I learned this week.

1. The privacy and a captive audience in a car is a good place to talk to your kids about life.

2. When your kids are upset, it’s best to keep your mouth shut. It’s no time for a lecture about the harsh realities of life.

3. Reading with your teenagers at bedtime is just as much fun as reading with them when they were little.

4. The dining room table is the most useful piece of furniture in the house. It a desk, conference table, drafting table, flat painting surface, computer center, baking counter …

5. You can’t force teenagers to talk to you. Just be there ready to listen when they do.

6.  Sharpening color pencils for your child is  proportionally related to your child’s school success.

7. Some things don’t change over time, like fighting to be at the front of the handball line.

8. When a friend unexpectedly drops off homemade cake for you, life suddenly becomes brighter and happier, especially if you have milk with it.

9.  As much as we want to and try to, parents cannot take away the growing pains of their children. It’s part of life.

10. Praying for your children covers many of our shortcomings.