“Where Do They Learn This Stuff? That’s right; ME!”

07 Jan “Where Do They Learn This Stuff? That’s right; ME!”

Parenting is more about who we are as parents than what we tell our kids to do and how to do it. Our children will learn more from watching our actions than they will from what we say to them. OUR CHILDREN WILL BECOME MORE OF WHO WE ARE AS A PERSON THAN WHAT WE TRY TO TRAIN THEM TO BE. We, as parents, must lead by example. We must be the people that we want our kids to be.

I remember one day my entire family was together. I was playing Madden 2013 (football game) on my Xbox, my son was playing the same game on the iPad, my wife was cooking and my daughter coloring. Something happened in my game where a wide receiver dropped a pass, and I responded with a loud “C’Mon Man.” I kid you not, 5 seconds later my son says “C’mon man.” I looked at my wife, and she says “that’s where he gets that one from.” I am still laughing at that, even as I write this, but it shows how our kids are learning from us.

We all want our kids to learn the right things and mature. If this is true in your life (which I hope it is true for every parent), we must grow ourselves. We cannot afford to be the same person every day. There isn’t time. Our kids are learning and maturing every day, and they are learning from us. So, if we want our kids to learn and evolve, we must start with our Personal Growth.

So where do we begin with personal growth?

1. Write down the reasons you need Personal Growth

You will have other reasons besides just being an example for your children. Write those down too. Sometimes we need reminders of why we do what we do.

2. Make a REALISTIC plan for Personal Growth

We all have busy lives. It’s sometimes hard to see where all our tasks will fall. However, one thing that is true is we all find the time for things that are important to us. So once you make your list in step one, make a plan. Schedule time in your day for personal growth.

“Consistency beats intense effort every time.” – Pastor Peggy Heald

When you schedule your time keep in mind that 10-15 minutes a day is better than 90 minutes once a week. Personal Growth requires consistent effort. If you only have 5 minutes a day, start there, but you must start somewhere. I suggest reading the book “15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” by John Maxwell. This book has changed my life.

3. Just Do It

Unfortunately, our lives are not changed by our intentions. Our actions change them. Nothing will change unless we do it. And don’t wait until tomorrow. Do it Now!

The best book I have ever read on growth is

Let’s Learn From Each Other

So what are some of your reasons for need personal growth? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.