PARENTING PITFALL: Tolerance

Tolerance is a dangerous word, especially when it comes to parenting.
It has become a parenting pitfall to many and I am no exception.

When my son was about three, he loved spending his energy by running and jumping all around the place. This was carried over even when we were in church. He would run around and jump off the stage. After a few instances, one of our leaders sat me down and said, “Paolo, you are a great dad. And you have a wonderful son. But there might just be some instances when you have tolerated things that you shouldn’t have. If our children act they way they do, it’s either we’ve influenced them to do it or merely tolerated their behavior.”

BOOM! At that moment, I felt like I was hit by a bomb. I realized that certain things my kids do are not because they’re being rebellious but because of lack of instruction from their parents.

Gilbert K. Chesterton said,
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.”

We have to be deliberate in our parenting. We have to sow seeds of God’s Word in the lives of our kids. God’s Word has everything to say about how we can train, discipline, and raise our children.

Nobody said parenting was going to be a breeze. But we are not without hope. God will help. He will guide. He will bless. His promise stands true that if we train our children in the way they should go, when they grow up, they will not depart from what they’ve been taught (Proverbs 22:6).

GIVING UP A DREAM

at-carmona.jpgGiving up your own dream to support another person’s is not an easy task. But the decision wasn’t that tough for Jeff Reyes, a national carting champ (KT100).

I spoke to him one time in the cafeteria of our Every Nation Building, and he told me that his decision to give up carting was not hard because he wanted to spend more time with his son, Jaco. And since Jaco was also into carting, he became his son’s coach. This way, he not only gets to be on a race track, which is in an environment he truly enjoys, he also mentors his own son. Jaco was the reigning champion for his division in 2006.

In a day and age where you see a lot of egocentric and self-absorbed adults, it is refreshing to hear about a dad who is willing to give up a hobby that he does not only love, but is great at—because he has a greater dream for his son.

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:15,16, Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity . . .

We really only have a short window of time with our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and students. Let us not just spend time with them. Let us invest time.