12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can AvoidSample

We Lie About Their Potential

Our senior pastor, Craig Groeschel, was recently speaking to young leaders when he said, “You tend to overestimate what you can do in the short run, but you severely underestimate what God can do through you in the long run.” It’s safe to guess Craig was talking to adults whose parents, teachers, and culture had made mistake number six a quarter of a century ago. These same adults are becoming parents today. Tim’s mistake number six mirrors Craig’s statement, “We lie about their potential and don’t explore their true potential.”

So, how do we change course for the next generation? Let’s put in the well-worth-it work to discover the God-given abilities in our kids. Let’s face the difficult conversations when we know our kids aren’t going into the big leagues in some particular area of interest. Let’s help them discover their strengths and guide them to wield them with with tenacity.

In his book about these 12 mistakes, Tim describes two sets of five messages he focused on with his kids. The first five he touched on during their first five years of life, and the second five during their last five years at home. Here are the two sets below.

First Five Years At Home

• You are loved.
• You are safe.
• You are valuable.
• You are uniquely gifted.
• You are supported.

Last Five Years At Home

• Life is difficult.
• You are not in control.
• You are not that important.
• Your life is not about you.
• You’re going to die one day and leave a legacy.

Pause: What changes have I made in my parenting style since starting this plan? What are my next steps for applying today’s concept?