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Yours
too? Welcome to the
club. Sometimes it seems like
it's their defining purpose, to push us beyond our ability to cope. Why is that? Reason
Why Our Kids Drive Us Crazy
(The good reasons) Our
children have a God given drive to live, and learn, and expand. It's that creative part of the
image of God from which we have all been created. This drive helps them to
learn to roll over when they are infants, to walk, to talk, and to
incessantly ask the question, "Why?"
The drive is a good thing.
Let's hope they and we never lose it. They
also have a drive to "individuate," that is, to become their own people
with personality, and values, and opinions. This too is a good thing, for it
helps them develop beliefs that will guide how they lead their families
and their lives, and live in relationship with others. The difficult part of this drive
is that it leads them to question parental values and lifestyle, as they
sort through which values they want to keep for themselves. A
third reason is that they are just plain old inexperienced. As they drive to have new
experiences, they make mistakes because they've never been through it
before. Their judgment hasn’t
developed thoroughly yet, because it hasn't had a chance to. This isn't a bad thing, it's just
a thing. REASONS
WHY OUR KIDS DRIVE US CRAZY
(The not so good reasons) Ours
is a fallen world and we are fallen people. Sin exists in the world, and it is
often attractive. Though born
with the image of God, we are also born with a vulnerability to the
influences of the world.
Separated as we are from God and his original design, we are
susceptible to making bad choices. Often times, children make
choices that conflict with the values and desires of their parents. They choose immediate satisfaction
rather than long term benefit and value. Another
reason children drive us crazy, is that we as parents have not always
provided appropriate parenting.
If we are human, we have too often been impatient, or angry,
inconsistent or even absent in our parenting. We provide our children with a
model to rebel against. We
say this, not to be self-condemning, for most parents really do the best
they can with the most sincere and loving intentions. The reality is however, that we
make mistakes too. So
what's a parent to do? A
PARENT'S PURPOSE AND MISSION We
would do well to understand that the primary task of a parent is to love
our children in such a way that when they leave our homes as young adults,
they are prepared to face the world spiritually, emotionally, physically,
socially, and mentally. Our
mission is to minister to them at all times. Our interactions toward them are
to be guided by the image of Jesus ministering to the little ones that
came before Him. We are to
treat them with the respect and care due to those who are created in His
image. This is a tall
order. But
you can do it! HOW
COUNSELING HELPS Counseling
can help parents in a number of ways. It can provide healthy and godly
parenting techniques to help parents raise their children. Parents can learn such things
as:
Counseling
for parents and families can occur in a number of ways. The counselor may meet just
with the parents to answer questions and provide guidance. Children may come in to the
sessions to help them work through their own issues. Family counseling helps both kids
and parents identify the issues that need to be corrected, and provides
models for healthy interaction. Our kids don't have to drive us crazy! At least not too much.
Raphael
Counseling Services 5475
Morgan Road Ypsilanti,
MI 48197 (734)
572-0255 E-mail: help@raphaelcounseling.com Website: |
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Services | Home Page | Help for Depression | Anxiety | You Can Have a Happier Marriage | Sexual Addicitions   | ||
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