There’s a ton out there on parenting. Let me just cut to the chase on what I believe were the two best bits of parenting wisdom I’ve ever been given.
1. The greatest gift I can give my children is to love my wife as Christ loved the church.
A healthy marriage will breed security in your kids. Children are far more observant than we give them credit for. They can sense when there’s something amiss with their parents’ marriage. A healthy marriage is a wonderful gift to give your kids.
What’s more, nothing contributes to a healthy marriage more than when a husband loves his wife just as Christ loved the church. How did Jesus love the church? He died so the church could be saved. He gave the greatest gift possible at the most expensive price possible.
A healthy marriage begins with a husband intentionally approaching each day as an opportunity to sacrifice his rights, needs, and desires for the good of his wife; to love his wife just as Christ loved the church.
2. For every one criticism my kids needs five compliments.
If my kids receive from me one compliment for every criticism, I’ll crush them. Why? We are born sinful. We are born with an innate sense that there’s something wrong with us. As a result, criticisms have a way of lodging in us while compliments tend to bounce off us. A one-to-one ratio will cause my son to grow up hating himself. Five compliments for every one criticism is a must.
