May 30, 2025 Parents Using LEVERAGE
“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.” -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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Listen to, or read this meditation on audio:
Last time, we talked about parenting leadership and the concept of respect in your own home. Now, as promised, let’s delve into the concept of leverage. Most of us understand a lever as something that helps us move a bigger object with the aid of a fulcrum. Let’s just get right to it. We have all used leverage growing up. “If you don’t let me play, I’ll take my ball and go home.” Leverage. “ I saw you take that candy. If you don’t give me some, I’m gonna tell.” Applying the same concept to parenting, I have always maintained that if I know what my child wants, I have leverage. My child gets what he wants, when I get what I want. If your child has nothing that he or she wants or wants to do, then you have no leverage, and my prayers are with you. But, most young people have something they really like to do i.e. play with their phones, play with their PlayStation, take karate lessons, go to basketball or soccer practice, watch their favorite program on TV, etc., etc. Remember the concept of fairness I mentioned in our last meditation? Maybe it’s just me, but my sense of fairness will not allow me to tolerate a situation where the child gets whatever he or she wants and I as the parent don’t get what I want. That is not fair and no parent should allow that situation to exist in their own home. How you get this point across to your child is up to you. It could be as simple as.”Susie, I really work hard to provide food, shelter and clothing and gadgets for you and it only seems fair that you should be willing to (fill in the blank ..” turn in your homework on time” “ clean your room” etc.,) for me.“ The worst reality we could create for our children is to teach them to think the way the world works is they can get something for nothing. They can’t get something for nothing in the world and they should not be able to continually receive the fruits of our labor without giving something back i.e. complying with our requests. Leverage-learn to use it and transform your parenting experience while educating your children about how the real world works. Leverage. You surely have it, so please use it.
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