A Parent’s Job
Your job as a parent is to teach your child the skills they need for life. It’s not about giving your child your direction; it’s about allowing them to find their own. It’s not telling them how to make your choices; it’s about allowing them to make their own choices. It’s not teaching them the right way, your way to do something or the way you learned to do it. It’s not about teaching them any agendas or giving them answers to life.
Your job as a parent is to teach them skills and allow their own discovery by making choices. Of course, you may offer them options from which to choose thereby allowing them to make their own choices. When you attempt to influence your child, you teach them to follow others and that their choices are not their own. In a very subtle way, this creates a rebellious attitude internally.
When you teach them the skills: provide them with options and allow them to choose on their own they develop very important life skills. Some of these skills are critical thinking, self-direction, self-discovery, independence, reasoning skills and more. Many parents find it very difficult to sit back and allow their children to choose especially when they think they are going to get hurt or do something wrong. The only time you really need to step in is if there is any physical or traumatic emotional danger. Otherwise disappointments, failures or challenges should be allowed. This creates a strong and integrity personality.
From Change Your Mind, Not Your Child by Michael Cavallaro available as an ebook or paperback.