35 - Empower Your Kids to Make Great Decisions (with Lt. Col. (Ret) Don Land)
July 31, 2022
In this episode, Graham interviews his great friend and neighbor, and pro parent Don Land, who recently retired from the Air Force. Don most served as Professor of Aerospace Studies and the Commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 592 at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Don is a great guy and awesome brother in Christ -- and also a fantastic parent! He's got so much wisdom to share with us in this episode, and you will especially love his out-of-the-box thinking on how to approach our kids. This episode focuses in on how to help our kids make their OWN decisions, -- which, if you're like me, you need some training on. Sometimes we like to just tell our kids what they need to think, forgetting that -- as Don reminds us -- we're not always going to be there with them. So we want to set them up for success for when those times come, and come they will.
In this episode, Graham interviews his great friend and neighbor, and pro parent Don Land, who recently retired from the Air Force. Don most served as Professor of Aerospace Studies and the Commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 592 at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Don is a great guy and awesome brother in Christ -- and also a fantastic parent! He's got so much wisdom to share with us in this episode, and you will especially love his out-of-the-box thinking on how to approach our kids. This episode focuses in on how to help our kids make their OWN decisions, -- which, if you're like me, you need some training on. Sometimes we like to just tell our kids what they need to think, forgetting that -- as Don reminds us -- we're not always going to be there with them. So we want to set them up for success for when those times come, and come they will.
In this episode, we cover:
In this episode, we cover:
- Guiding our kids' instead of directing them all the time.
- Showing unconditional love and pointing them to God's unconditional love as a foundation.
- Telling our kids, "I love you and I like you" -- those are different things!
- Sometimes scars early on can prevent breakage later.
- Looking for every opportunity, as early as often, to infuse choice.
- A story and example of how he got his son to eat vegetables.
- How we can unwittingly encourage our kids to be defiant by being too directive.
Scripture referenced:
- Proverbs 21:31: The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. (NIV)
Music:
- Intro: Life of a Traveler, by Black Rhomb (License #3565685)
- Outtro: Avocado Street, by Wes Hutchinson (Courtesy of YouTube Music)
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