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Giving Your Kids a Safe Place to Vent Without Spewing Unsolicited Advice
Sometimes it’s easier to stay quiet than others.
Biting your tongue is an art form. Especially when you’re raising children. It’s something I’ve practiced for more than twenty years now, but I still don’t consider myself an expert — not by a long shot.
But now that all three of my kids have reached adulthood, I have a thing or two to share about when it’s been best to keep quiet — in my humble opinion.
I’m not exactly sure when the lightbulb went on over my head, and I’ve certainly made a lot of mistakes along the way.
For instance, when my oldest daughter was in ninth grade and came home from school crying about how some of her middle school friends had turned on her and wouldn’t let her sit at their lunch table, I didn’t hold back in calling them names and assuring my daughter that it was their loss, not hers. Those girls didn’t deserve to have good friends and they would never be allowed in my house again.
Imagine my surprise a week later when my daughter started hanging out with those same girls, and instead of bringing them home, she’d only go to their houses, afraid to admit to me that she’d been wrong about them after all. Who could blame her? Mama Bear can be scary, and I’d lashed out about those girls after only…
