Friday, September 13, 2013

128) Learn lessons - Being an example

"Your children will become what you are; so, be what you want them to be." David Bly

Someone asked a farmer, "How do you have such beautiful sheep?" "I take care of the lambs," was his immediate reply. How true! Unless he takes care of the lambs, how will they grow into beautiful sheep?

In this little episode, we have a lesson. Unless we take care of our little children they will not grow up to be good adults.

It is not that we do not know what has to be done in earnest parenting. It is just that we are negligent. We take things for granted. We give children concessions, not realizing that those concessions could become crutches they lean on. To indulge them we turn our eyes the other way when the first lie is spoken; we make excuses when they accuse and complain; we put up with less than good performance in school. Put differently, we settle for low standards. We do not raise the bar.

We do not raise the bar, because we ourselves settle for less in our lives. We are not the example we should be. Our advice is not consistent. Our disciplining is imprudent. Unless we adopt LEAD Parenting, we will have to shed hot tears, when the little ones become big. L, for love; E, for example; A, for advice; and D, for discipline. LEAD parenting is the prescription.