Have you ever met a “sprinter parent”? Like athletes competing for the gold in a fifty-yard dash, they throw every erg of their energy into trying to deal with each instance of misbehavior. Determined to raise great kids, they spend almost every moment trying to correct their youngsters’ behavior.
Here’s the problem: Parenting is a marathon…not a 50-yard dash! Those who start the journey as sprinters quickly run out of energy, get frustrated, and view parenting as painful.
“Marathon parents” know how to pick their battles. Because they know that parenting is a life-long task, they ask the following questions when they deal with misbehavior:
Is this behavior dangerous in any way?
If my child continued to do this for his entire life, would it really be a problem?
Is this behavior a chronic problem?
Is this a battle I can win right now without first getting support or ideas from others?
If the answer to these questions is “No,” wise parents give themselves permission to rest, relax and reflect. By doing so, they preserve the energy needed to address problems with definite “Yes” answers. In our fun little book, Love and Logicisms, we provide 100 short parenting truths that help us determine the difference between the battles that must be won and those that don’t need to be. Knowing the difference gives us the wisdom to finish the race…and enjoy it at the same time.