Parenting idea: A child's "pro's" list

I talked yesterday about my struggle to keep grace when life seems overwhelming and our "good behavior notebook" that came out of it. Well, here's something else I did during this roller coaster that I think might help someone else.

Brady came home very mopey one day during a stretch of difficult days. "I have a hard time making good choices," he said and then mumbled about not thinking he was good at anything.

Oh my. 

I don't ever want that. A little healthy remorse can help anyone do better next time, but I don't want him to beat up on himself. I want him to keep control and work harder and know when he's done wrong, but I do not want it to ever break his spirit because he has a beautiful, vibrant, loving spirit.

Perhaps my greatest charge as a parent is to protect that - from others, from myself and from life in general.

So that night I made a quick list of all the good qualities I could think of about him, which were numerous! Then I read them to him and we keep it in his room. It is a tangible reminder of his strengths and good traits.

It's something to show him how I see him, even if I'm upset or enforcing consequences. He can always look at that and remember.

I hope he will always know I am his biggest champion and my hope is to develop the best in him, because there's so much there to work with.

A wonderful little lady in town has told me she thinks Brady will do great things, that one day the challenges will be worth it. I sure do think she's right with all my heart.