The Parenting Breakthrough

Several weeks ago I was playing a game with  my in-laws.  I can't remember the title (I'm TERRIBLE with names), but it was one of those games where one person reads a question and then has to guess which answer came from which person.  The question was something like, "What do you hope for your children?" 

 

My answer?  "That they'll move out and never move back in."  Everyone laughed and oooed me when they read it, like it was a mean or bad answer.  It really isn't.

 

I love my kids a ton.  I love to be with them so much that I choose to home school them.  I also love them so much that I want them to be independent enough to move out and never want to move back in.  I think I wrote about this in another post a few weeks ago, but my point today is that my journey to reach this point started when I read a very cool book.

 

You know what? It always seems to start with a book.  I love books.  I love learning.  It's such a gift and I'm constantly amazed at all I get to learn. 

Anyway, back to THE book.  I'm sure that most parents would want their kids to be responsible and independent, but might not think about exactly how that happens (or they think it'll just magically happen as they grow up).  Enter The Parenting Breakthrough by Merilee Boyack.

 

Even if it wasn't chock full of amazing advice and practical, use able information, it would be worth reading.  Merrilee is funny.  It's almost like you're sitting down with a friend and she's telling you all about her life. 

 

But it IS full of all kinds of amazing stuff.  In fact, my copy is highlighted, has notes in it and has the corners of several pages turned down for easy reference. 

 

Do you notice how the cover says it's "a real-life plan to teach kids?"  She has a PLAN, a step by step list to make your own simple, easy plan to teach your kids everything they'll need to know when they leave your home. 

 

Adapting her plan is one of my goals for this year.  I've used bits of her plan (the one she includes as an example) over the past few years, but I haven't actually sat down and adjusted it for our family.  I'm going to. 

 

If you've never heard of this book, go buy it (or be like me and see if your library has it to make sure you really like it first).  Your kids might be unhappy about it at first, but the pride that comes from knowing how to accomplish things far outweighs the negatives (eventually).

 

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:

 

"I don't want to give offense to anyone, but I want my children to grow up and move away so I can have grandchildren I can visit!  Isn't that why we had children to begin with?  I want the icing on the cake.  Not only do I want lots of grandchildren, but I want to spend years watching my children raise them.  Talk about joy.  I don't think it can get any better than that.  I want to listen to my kids complaining about how their children won't clean their rooms, don't do what they're told, and are lazy and unmotivated.  I'm going to spend decades just laughing.  My grand kids are going to think they have the happiest grandma on the planet."

Isn't that amazing?! 

Maybe I'll post my version of Merilee's lists when we get them done.  Have any of you read her book?  Made your own plans?  Parenting is one of my favorite subjects to read about, so if you have your own favorite book, let me know so I can add it to my To Read list!