I have been (very slowly) reading Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp, and in Chapters 5, he highlighted the incompleteness of several seemingly good parenting goals:
- to be "successful" in life
- to develop special skills
- to be psychologically adjusted (good self esteem)
- to be saved
- to be religious
- to be well-behaved
- to be well-educated
Tripp suggested that the optimal overarching parenting goal is consistent with the chief end of man, that our children "glorify God and enjoy Him forever" (Shorter Catechism).
It seems like this fundamental concept should have been obvious to me before reading this, but this chapter was so clarifying for me. Throughout my daily interactions with my children, how do I explicitly and implicitly shepherd my children to glorify God and enjoy Him forever?
Father, thank you for helping me consciously evaluate my parenting goals. I want to be a faithful steward of the children that you have placed in my care. Please forgive me where I have failed so far, and show your redemptive power in the time ahead. I love you.
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