Parental Celebration

Today’s post is all about celebration.  Enjoy the Kool & the Gang tune playing in your head now.  You’re welcome!

I frequently write about things you can do to improve your relationship with your teen, or things you can do to help get your teen on a better life track.  It is easy for us parents to be constantly looking at what our kids can do to improve or what we can do to improve as parents.  And aiming for improvement and growth is certainly a positive thing.  But today, I thought we would do well to stop and celebrate our parental victories.

What positive character qualities do you see in your teen?  Take time this week to celebrate those qualities with your daughter or son, and take a moment to celebrate the reality that you have almost certainly helped contribute to that aspect in your teen’s life.  Have you recently held your tongue from making an unnecessary critical comment with one of your kids?  Take a moment to celebrate that victory and recognize your own growth as a parent.  Have you invested some extra time or energy lately in your teen’s life in a particular way?  Give yourself a quick pat on the back for being intentional about pouring into your kids.  Has someone complimented your teen for some positive quality or achievement?  Of course you should celebrate that compliment with your teen!  But you should also have a bit of celebration in what you are doing right as a parent.

Just as our teens and preteens thrive on positive energy and wither on negative energy, so do we as parents.  So let’s take a bit of time for some celebration today for all those things we are doing right as parents!  Seriously, take some time to list some things.  I’ll betcha the list will be longer than you think.