Realistic Parenting

Why is it that so many of us feel like failures when we or our children make a mistake? My guess is that we are disappointed because we expect ourselves and our kids to be perfect – a very unrealistic expectation. But our gnawing sense of imperfection should not keep us from being good parents. Realistic parents pave the way for family closeness and build their children up by parenting with grace. They aren’t paralyzed by feelings of fear and inadequacy when they make mistakes. They know that God uses imperfect people to carry out his plan, and he will use them as they raise their children in spite of their imperfections. When I look in the mirror, I see inconsistency. When I look inside myself I face the dark reality of my sinful nature. When I look at my kids, I see the same. Parents, in the midst of your teen’s imperfection, are you showing him God’s grace?