My Son is Donald Trump (and Other Parenting Epiphanies)
My six year old son is relentless. A power broker. I swear he could teach a master class on negotiating at Harvard Business School. This afternoon.
Never quit.
Wear them down.
Play a few games of Mario on the Wii.
Go for the jugular!
Eat a popsicle.
So even though those glasses make him look like a mini-me, he’s more of a mini-Trump (with better hair). The textbook definition of a strong-willed child. Everything in me wants to tame him. To break him down. To send him to military school.
But I wonder if compliance is a placebo. Seems like the cure. Really just sugar water?
I was a compliant child. A rule follower. By the book. Easy to parent (your welcome mom and dad). And expressed healthily, there are certainly Kingdom benefits to that kind of easy going and steady temperament. But it can come with a few drawbacks, too.
Easily influenced (or manipulated).
Afraid of conflict.
Indecisive.
Defined by the approval of others.
Many of the things I’ve shared here on this blog that I’ve spent the last few years wrestling to overcome.
So as I’ve locked wits with my little debate-professor-in-training (again and again and again) over these past few days, it’s got me thinking. Maybe I need to pray less for the breaking of his will, and more that he fall in love with Jesus. Not that he surrenders his relentless passion, but that he simply finds something eternal to aim it at.
What do you think? Do you wrestle with your own little ruthless negotiator?
I’ve had a few students who fit that description. Since I could give them back at the end of the day (or the lesson) I could encourage the parent that the qualities we were seeing could be the soul saving preacher in a few years with prayer and training. Now that you mention it, Godly debate professors and coaches teaching their following to contend for the faith are definitely needed. I agree, pray for his passion to turn to Jesus. However, even when it does, he has to grow into his faith and will still challenge you with his fleshly desires and pressures. Praying that you will see Jesus’ victory alive in your son.
Resistance is futile!
I think it was Chuck Swindoll (or possibly James Dobson) who taught that “train up a child in the way he should go …” referred to finding their “bent” or their personality and then parenting in a way to direct that. Not tame it or change it.
Much easier said than done, but it certainly makes sense.
Here’s a link to what Swindoll has to say on this. Good stuff!
http://www.insight.org/library/articles/parenting/train-up-a-child.html
Brilliant stuff Chuck. Thanks for sharing it here. I’ve heard Swindoll talk about this before, but you’re right…easier said than done.