When should you cover for your kids?
It’s the most natural thing in the world for a parent to want to stick up for his or her child–after all, isn’t it part of a parent’s job to protect their kid from harm? To be sure, there are times when you need to stand up for your child, but there are also times when you need to let them face the music on their own. In a recent article at Winning at Home ministries, Dan Seaborn talks about the challenge of knowing when to step in, and when to stand back:
One of the most difficult aspects of parenting is figuring out when it’s best to let go in order to let your kids grow up a little. This is a question of apron strings: When should you intervene? And when, despite all your protective instincts, should you not intervene?
Let’s say your child gets caught cheating at school. Do you make them accept the consequences, or do you make excuses for them? Do you let your child face punishment and shame, or do you call the teacher and try to explain everything?
As in many things, it’s easier said than done–but Seaborn’s essay is good food for thought if you’re facing this issue in your family.
