3. DIG DEEPER
You can’t make the right move for your kid(s) if you don’t know what they need. Pay attention, spend time studying what’s easy or difficult for them. What extra attention do they need … individually. Give it to them! I have identical twin girls and I quickly realized the differences in their personalities. This included their strengths and weaknesses. While one walked first, her sister was afraid of falling. But she was the one to talk first. So I gave extra encouragement where they needed it. Now I can’t get either of them to be quiet or sit down somewhere LOL. Having a larger family can make this more challenging, but it’s still necessary. Knowing your kids’ individual needs may result in you having to take unconventional action to address them. Dig in and get it done! STANK
4. JUST SAY IT
It’s not your fault! I know you want to be nice, and don’t want to make other people feel uncomfortable. But forget that. Sometimes you will HAVE to speak up to defend your kid or confront someone in “the crowd.” I’ve had plenty of practice with this one. I’ve had to report a daycare teacher that I saw forcefully grab a child, blast perfect strangers who think it’s OK to touch my kids, confront a kids church worker that let a teenage boy escort my girls to the bathroom. The list goes on. But do you think I would give more thought to their feelings than the safety of my children. Heck no! People get their feelings hurt easily when they cross a boundary or challenge how I parent. Whatever needs to be said, just say it! You don’t have to be mean. Just mean it! I bet they won’t do it again. STANK STANK STANK
5. MODEL BEHAVIOR
This is so much bigger than you and me! The way we are as people and parents are a daily lesson that influences our kids’ present ideas and future actions. One of the things that pushes me to always add the stank is because I won’t let my daughters be afraid of standing up to anyone! I KNOW they are watching what I do more than what I say. At some point in their lives, if they ever have to stand up for their boundaries, they will remember that Mom never let anyone cross them. STANK
Question for you! How have you had to add that STANK in your family? Don’t be shy. This is all about being bold and confronting those situations head on. Share your story in the comments below!
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