Every time you’re given a choice between disappointing someone else and disappointing yourself, your duty is to disappoint that someone else…

“… . Your job, throughout your entire life, is to disappoint as many people as it takes to avoid disappointing yourself.

Tish (Glennon’s daughter): Even you?

Glennon: Especially me.”

This is such a powerful conversation between a mother and her child. Giving our children permission to make empowered choices for themselves even when it goes against what we as parents want.

Allowing our children to do things to please us because they want our approval, they feel guilty, or have old cultural expectations put upon them is doing our children a great disservice.

If our children tell us their opinions, their thoughts, their dreams without fear we have done our job. If they don’t agree with us and they tell us so, we’ve done our job. If they set boundaries with us and say no to us, we’ve done our job.

Some of the most rewarding moments I have experienced with my son is when he has stood firm in who he is and his beliefs even when it was not what I wanted or thought was best.

May we remember this as we go into the holiday season. We might be disappointed but we can also be extremely proud!

Name a situation where your child disappointed you instead of themselves? Share in comments.

No Comments

Post A Comment