Having a child puts an extra burden on us as adults. As a parent, I have started to wonder what my daughter will be like when she grows up. How will she act as an adult, as a teenager, as a child? It frightens me knowing how I am and how I was. I want her to be better than me.
How can we expect our children to be better than we are? That puts unfair expectations on them, raising the bar to a level that we couldn’t meet ourselves. Still, it’s ultimately what we want. Rather than lowering the expectations, why don’t we try to meet that expectation ourselves? You want your child to be good with money? Maybe you should manage your money properly. You want your child to have healthy relationships? You should harvest your relationships and make them healthy. You want your child to have a good work ethic? You should be applying the qualities you want them to have into your own life. Easier said than done?
We must be partnering with God to achieve our goals. The bible gives us a perfect guide on how to live. Don’t miss understand me, it will not make us live perfectly “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. The bible does, however, have an answer for every situation you may face. Remember that your children are watching and learning from you. Shouldn’t you in turn be watching and learning from your heavenly father? My goal is not to be perfect, but to be the person that I want my children to be.
