Are expectations talked about in your home?
What are the expectations your children sense?
Have you asked them?
Without prompting them? Do they feel pressure? Do they feel they have to perform or you will be mad at them?
We have to realize these questions will reveal a few things!
1) What we really focus on.
2) What our children feel/sense is most important to us
3) What they will most likely do when they are parents
We need to think multi- generationally in regards to our expectations just as we would anything else. What we impress upon our children as “being good” and our expectations… may follow into our children’s homes. We really need to nip this in the bud, so that performance for man’s eyes is not a generational sin passed on.
I am speaking purely openly here, because I have recently, been very convicted about this myself. Though I have intensely cared about my children’s hearts. The message I send as I am concerned over behavior is one that teaches my children I do care primarily about performance.
How do we correct this focus as parents? By taking the time to get in the mess of the sin. By cancelling that appointment or that birthday party or whatever it is to take the time to talk, even if it takes 40 minutes. So they get it, that we care their hearts, really knowing what is going on in their minds and hearts.
Join me here at Leaving a Legacy as we keep digging more into the expectations we hold as parents!
Blessings
Angie
