Why?

One evening, as my husband and I went on a walk, we passed by the home of some friends of ours, Mormon friends, friends whose children were doing all the things we’d taught our own children to do.  My husband asked the question, “Why can’t we just make our kids do the right thing?”

Of course, we talked about how we don’t know this family’s struggles and challenges (because every family has them); and, we talked about agency; and, I even asked my husband, “Have you met our kids?  I don’t think force would work. J”

Yet, the question still remains:  “Why do some families have it easy when it comes to testimonies and missions, and other families don’t?”

Is it because God doesn’t care as much about our family?

It is because we have failed in our parenting?

Is it because we somehow missed the secret ingredient to make this all work?

Questions are so powerful and really direct our mind.  And while these questions might be natural when we find ourselves with children who are walking away from the religious foundation we've spent so many years trying to give them, these questions also help us stay stuck ~ stuck in fear, stuck in doubt.

What if, instead, you asked yourself...

How is having this problem useful to me?

What is the solution that most feels like love?

If I were presenting this problem as good news, how would I describe it?


I’d love to hear your answers to any of these questions (comment below or email me at kelly@findpeaceinparenting.com).