Build the Foundation

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This should be your main focus as a parent…

There are two factors that make up who we are.
1) The influences we receive
2) How we respond to those influences

Parents, including myself, put too much attention on #1 for our kids.
We strive to create good influences by:
- Putting them in the best schools
- Limiting screen time
- Getting them involved in sports / activities
- Etc. Etc.

All these are good things and I’m not saying we should avoid them.
But only focusing on those influences misses the mark.

We need to help our kids respond to influences well.
Values are the foundation for our responses.

Parents should care more about values than their kid’s:
- Grades
- Sports
- Friends

We can only control influences in their life for so long.
As they grow up, they will have bad influences outside of our control.
They may even choose bad influences that we don’t like.
But values instilled while kids are young will carry on for a lifetime.

Kids actually want you to focus on values if you do it right.
They crave to spend time with us (when they are young).
Part of that craving is to learn how to be like you.

It is HARD to teach values in the mundane moments. Why?

• We have to know OUR values

• We have to be intentional

• We can’t rush

So often I find myself rushing with my kids. I don’t really know why.
I want to get to the next thing, whatever it is.

Parents - slow down. Be intentional.
Build that foundation while the kids are young.
The foundation you provide is what they’ll build their life on.

This post got a big response this week in some of the dad groups I’m in. Maybe you’ll enjoy.

I hope you have a great week!!

God Bless,
Matt Virgin