01 | A second chance to parent by design instead of default

Back before the world shut down for Covid (half a decade ago!), we hosted a parenting workshop, pulling together all of our best ideas from a few decades of taking our best shot at it.

The difference for us was… well, as we discuss in this episode, we got a second chance to “get it right.” With an almost-empty nest, we found out we had another baby on the way.

We catalogued some of our mistakes, made a few inputs about things we could do better, and applied the lessons we learned….

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One of the biggest lessons?

The time goes by so fast. Sure, the days seem long, but the weeks begin feeling shorter and shorter…

… and the years just seem to blur.

In time, we awaken to the reality that while they’re in the house, the kids are our primary assignment. And, it’s not just about managing them, disciplining them, and shuttling them around from activity to activity (even though there is a lot of that), it’s about making them better humans.

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Here’s the reality.

You parent “out of” how you were raised. Either you’ll extend those lessons, or you’ll react to them.

However, it’s important to recognize what we all “carry,” so that we can affirm what we want to keep, adjust what we don’t want to maintain, and then move forward…

In other words, we want to parent by design instead of default.

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Here’s why it matters…

When you’re parenting, you’re ALWAYS teaching…

… and the choices you make, the way you handle everyday decisions, and the way you manage your kids mistakes ALWAYS impart lessons to them.

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Next steps

To learn more about Randy’s parenting resources, go to www.BeRefreshed.org/family 

For specific opportunities for grandparents, visit www.BeRefreshed.org/GP 

Take the assessment (for you AND your kids) at www.BeRefreshed.org/4 

For the “Diapers to Dorms” audiobook, go to www.BeRefreshed.org/D2D