Parenting - Goals and Intentionality

I find myself to be very reflective by nature.  I strive to be very intentional in all that I do, parenting included, but I can so often miss the mark despite my good intentions.  I've read two articles recently that were awesome to refocus that intentionality in very practical ways, so that I can think twice before blowing it again!  Both are worth a quick read!!

10 Habits to Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Child - from Aha! Parenting.com (hmmm what was that about putting electronics away?  Got it... I don't ever want my girls to feel like they weren't as important to me as my phone!)

The Key To Your Child's Heart (7 Ways It Works)  - The Key:  ACKNOWLEDGE. (something I need to work on when I get busy and impatient...)

It takes strong relationships with our children, developed through intentionality, to wade through the emotions and turmoil of growing up (especially in a house with three daughters, and one just crossing over into the pre-teen years!!)

My goals as a parent are that our daughters would grow to be :

• independent adults with the confidence to try new things that stretch them out of their comfort zones in order to discover their gifts and talents, and grow to be all that they were created to be; 
• emotionally and spiritually healthy with strong roots in their faith, and solid and close ties to their family;
• strong in their character and in their values -- displaying love and compassion for others, servant hearts rather then entitlement, and the courage to fight for what they know to be right.

In short, my parenting goals can be summed up by the following (my parents modelled this well - and for that I am thankful!!)

  

It all comes down to ROOTS and WINGS.

Praying for wisdom along the way as we pour into these beautiful girls that God has given us.