I am in the most demanding and exhausting parenting season of my life. Nothing is wrong; parenting older children is just mentally, emotionally, and intellectually demanding. It’s a good hard.
One of the things I do to remember to *enjoy* this season (as opposed to simply surviving it) is to intentionally pursue the interests and passions of my children.
In one of my favorite nonfiction books of all time (Bonus Points if you know the book-tell me in the comments), there is a principle discussed called “The Principle of Sharing”.
The idea is that a couple honors each other by committing to find the goodness and value in each other’s interests and passions.
It is living out a belief that “if you love it, then there’s something worth loving within it and I want to see that and experience it.”
Now, obviously, personal taste is integral to our humanity.
But, we can experience more of the fullness of life because of those we love than we ever would have without them.
We see more of the goodness of the world when we take time to see it through the lens of other’s eyes.
I apply this principle to parenting.
I want to do more than *manage* my kids; I want to know them.
They are humans worth knowing, and they are my friends (contrary to what social media tells you, you CAN actually be a parent and a friend at the same time and do both well.)
When my friends are interested in something, I care about that something because I care about my friends.
My kids are not an exception to this.
It’s extremely popular right now to disdain everything our Gen Z and Alpha kids say and like and do…
But if you take time to know them, they’re actually pretty awesome.
What would it profit me to turn my nose up at the interests of my kids… and what erosion would it slowly but surely cause to my relationship with them?
Fortnite, War Hammer, Dinosaurs, Cats, Anime, Soccer, Classic Rock and Cars, Mythology, Film Theory, Memes, and More… are things worth seeing, acknowledging, and experiencing the goodness of, because the eyes of my children are worth seeing the world through.
And that is “no cap”. 😜😂
One of the things I do to remember to *enjoy* this season (as opposed to simply surviving it) is to intentionally pursue the interests and passions of my children.
In one of my favorite nonfiction books of all time (Bonus Points if you know the book-tell me in the comments), there is a principle discussed called “The Principle of Sharing”.
The idea is that a couple honors each other by committing to find the goodness and value in each other’s interests and passions.
It is living out a belief that “if you love it, then there’s something worth loving within it and I want to see that and experience it.”
Now, obviously, personal taste is integral to our humanity.
But, we can experience more of the fullness of life because of those we love than we ever would have without them.
We see more of the goodness of the world when we take time to see it through the lens of other’s eyes.
I apply this principle to parenting.
I want to do more than *manage* my kids; I want to know them.
They are humans worth knowing, and they are my friends (contrary to what social media tells you, you CAN actually be a parent and a friend at the same time and do both well.)
When my friends are interested in something, I care about that something because I care about my friends.
My kids are not an exception to this.
It’s extremely popular right now to disdain everything our Gen Z and Alpha kids say and like and do…
But if you take time to know them, they’re actually pretty awesome.
What would it profit me to turn my nose up at the interests of my kids… and what erosion would it slowly but surely cause to my relationship with them?
Fortnite, War Hammer, Dinosaurs, Cats, Anime, Soccer, Classic Rock and Cars, Mythology, Film Theory, Memes, and More… are things worth seeing, acknowledging, and experiencing the goodness of, because the eyes of my children are worth seeing the world through.
And that is “no cap”. 😜😂
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