MFP295: The Key to Your Child's Success

Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit" Proverbs 25:28

Summary:

Have you ever had a child melt down because they didn’t get what they wanted? How do we respond to emotional outbursts in our children? Self-control is an underappreciated virtue in our modern culture, but ironically, it is the one skill we can teach our children that can help them achieve great success. Instead of embracing the maxim of today, “Just do it!” we should be echoing the slogan of the 80’s anti-drug campaign, "Just say no!”. Our children need to learn from a young age that they CAN be in charge of how they react to their emotions, but they need your guidance and help to do this. In this podcast, we give some tips and tricks on how to speak to your child and put them in the driver’s seat of life.

Key Takeaways:

• Emotional outbursts are a sign of immaturity. As they grow and as you teach them they will learn. But if you don’t get this under control when they are young you will be sorry

• Self control is an unappreciated virtue. Lack of self control is lauded in our culture “Just do it!” as opposed to “Just say no!”

• Important to train your child early!! Their brain can change more than any other time in their lives. Often we focus more on training in athletics or academics than virtue, but virtue is where they will find success in life.

• When they are emotional, teach your children how to activate the logical part of their brain. As parents of young children, we help them regulate their emotions so they can learn how to do it themselves.

• Give them space to make a choice. The more they do it, the stronger and better they will be at it

Couple Discussion Questions:

• How would we define self control? Why is it important

• How do we respond to our children when they lose control? What do we think about this?

• What are some good strategies we can use for our children specifically?