Don't Forget Your Shield!

Sometimes our children may exhibit near perfect behavior, while at other times their actions may be less than ideal. Regardless of their conduct, who they choose as friends, where they spend the majority of their time, or how protective we are as parents, YOUR CHILD WILL FACE OPPOSITION from peers.

KEYS TO PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR OPPOSITION

1) Talk with your child on the topic BEFORE  a “crisis” occurs.  Preparation provides your child the opportunity to effectively deal with adversity and quickly move on.

2) While discussing this topic with your child, don’t make it dramatic or give extreme examples. Have a calm, matter-of-fact demeanor as you discuss the topic. Show only facial expressions and body language  that are positive and reassuring.

3) Assure your child that EVERYONE faces some form of opposition from time to time, including YOU. This knowlege will allow your child to know that they are not alone, which is comforting to them. Sadly, opposition is commonplace in our world and there’s little need to try to hide it from your kids. It’s better that your child be conscious of this as opposed to  believing that it’s their own fault(Is something wrong with me?) each time that adversity occurs.

4) Instruct your child to avoid a strong reaction towards those showing oppposition. A strong reaction is often what the “opposing peer” desires. Teach your child assertiveness, not agressive or passive behaviors, and to use as few words as necessary when facing adverse circumstances. Instruct your child to then “leave the scene”.

5) Have your child memorize Romans 8:31. It states, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Helping your child to understand that God is with them at all times(especially during conflict) can give them strength during difficult moments. Have your child occasionally repeat the verse to you  over the next few weeks.

Chapter Two in my book,  Don’t Forget Your Shield, is entitled, “Dealing With Opposition”. The chapter provides a short story for kids that focuses on properly handling opposition that is inevitable in  everyday life. Chapter Two concludes with instruction and suggestions on improving one’s ability to handle opposition. Equip your child today!

I recently viewed a poll that said 92% of our population has made a New Year’s Resolution at least once in their lifetime. Over the years, most of us have made MANY. I admit that I have made quite a few myself , BUT NOT ANYMORE. My position has changed. I’m now against them….. mainly because I realize that the odds are strongly against their success…..and I need the odds with me as much as possible! Bottom line: The majority of  New Year’s Resolutions are deemed a failure shortly after moving into the new year. I have an opinion as to why this occurs.

First of all, it takes minimal effort to make a resolution. In our society today , minimal effort is quite appealing. Most of us make our resolutions sometime in December. This means that we set our goals weeks in advance of actually making efforts to achieve our goals. It makes us feel good inside, having the “assurance” that great things await us in the near future….January 1 to be precise. Knowing that  a great “turnaround” awaits us starting with the first day of the new year might even allow us to ease  our conscience as we take part in  behaviors that may be contradictory to our resolution. Been there. Done that.

The truth is, if you are serious about setting goals and making positive life changes, the ideal day to start making efforts to advance  is NOW. If you believe that a goal/resolution can be put off, then its probably not of great value to you. Resolutions usually end up as ”just talk”. Our world is full of talkers and you want to separate yourself from this crowd. Be a person of ACTION. As a person of action, there is great benefit. You live a fuller life with more accomplished…. and more importantly, your child receives the blessing of seeing you in “action”. This greatly increases the chance of your child being  goal-oriented and confident as opposed to joining the crowd on the sideline. Remember, children recognize their parent’s patterns of behavior over time….and will often emulate them. This can be a good thing, or a bit scary. Ask yourself  now, talk or action?