Family Mentors

Just a little over a year ago, my wife and I discovered the joys of parenthood when I our little boy came into the world.  We were thrilled, blessed, excited, and SCARED!  The sacred trust of raising another human being is a massive responsibility.  While nobody is perfect, you certainly don’t want to mess up too badly as a parent.  Our parents were a huge help in giving advice and speaking from the personal experience of raising kids in the past.  Even so, we needed role models who were in the trenches of the early stages of family life. 

As we began looking for these family mentors we found a wealth of wonderful examples…

The Hunts – This family of five showed us the value of learning the temperament of each of your children and interacting with them on that level.

The Herrings – Another family of five that demonstrated the power of “Rites of Passage” in raising young men.

The Thomas’ – A family of six who gave us the example of raising kids who love to spend time with you, but consider you a parent rather than a friend.

Each of these families taught us these lessons and so many more just by doing family life in front of us.  Their example spoke volumes.  There are so many more families that we could add to the list above.  Here’s the point…

As you embark upon or continue on in the adventure of marriage, parenting, and family life find other families that you respect and do the following…

Watch Them – See what makes their family tick.  There could be a few big things or several little things that make them a family worthy of respect. 

Ask Them – As you think through issues in your own family or questions you might have, ask them what they did when they encountered specific situations.  They may not have all the answers, but at least they can speak from experience.

Steal From Them – There are tidbits of wisdom from these families you should steal for your own.  Take their best ideas and put them into practice.

There are so many that get it wrong when it comes to family.  When you find one of those few families who get it right, learn all you can from them.  The result could be a happier, healthier life for you and your family.