It Took A Divorce To Learn This Parenting Wisdom

I caught this picture. Really. Completely unplanned opportunity to glance up and see my four precious gifts walking together, side by side...away from me. I picture them in the future and pray that this is how they will always be. One day when their dad and I are both gone from this earth. The four of them will have each other and spouses and children of their own, if they choose. My children are loving to each other. They look out for each other. They are fiercely loyal to each other.

Is it perfect relationship? Of course not. They get impatient and selfish. The blame each other for losing this or that. And....they miss each other when one or more of them is away. The boys miss their big sister away at college. Four completely different souls knitted together by a big God.

So what is my one piece of parenting advice that it took a divorce to learn? The advice I couldn't learn while I was busy teaching (lecturing) them on how to be the best family ever? :-/

LISTEN.

LISTEN to your children. You don't know it all. You know that. Stop trying to know it all. Lean on God there. They are beautifully created human beings that have thoughts, ideas and opinions that will differ from yours. STOP lecturing. Be quiet and listen. When they have said all that they need to, and you have LISTENED, you can give a thoughtful response. You even have the freedom to say, "I'm going to think about this and get back to you?" You will be astounded at how this one (hard) thing will change the entire atmosphere of your home. If you listen, by God's grace, they will listen....to you, to their siblings and to the others that cross their path.