Friday, 30 September 2011

Does Good Parenting Equal Great Kids?

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Two recent, very different, blog posts from writers and moms I greatly respect, have sparked some thoughts in my mind. The first post was from Susan at Heart Pondering, the second from Val at Chronicles of a Babywise Mom. 

I’ve drawn a crude continuum to represent how I interpret these two posts - and my apologies to the authors if I’ve misrepresented them in any way!



I place myself very close to Post 1 on this continuum.  My thinking is that we parents do not have ultimate control over how our kids turn out. I believe we have a duty to God, our children, and our neighbours, to do the very best job of parenting that we can. But I also believe that our children are flawed human beings, just as we are, and that sin, developmental issues, character flaws, and circumstances all play a part in how our children turn out. 

God’s grace has brought me this far, and will bring me home in spite of my flaws and failings; and I trust and pray the same will be true for my children.   I recommend this earlier post from Susan which explores this idea with far greater depth and wisdom than I can bring.

Where do you place yourself on this continuum?  How much influence do you believe you have as a parent?

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