GUEST POST BY NCHENZ MEMBER, CHRIS DIXON
I’m not a fair judge of my kids.
It’s not that I’m a terrible judge; it’s just I see everything about their lives, and I notice some things more than others. I can’t help it.
This is why the feedback from other parents is so valuable. It helps me see the good in my kids. Without this balance, I fail to understand the beautiful gifts each of my kids have. I can miss their unique genius, because it’s not like mine.
Fortunately, I’ve found other homeschooling parents to be so encouraging. They have expressed appreciation for the good they see. Their compliments have reminded me I have amazing offspring who don’t have to be great at everything, to still be worth celebrating. Andy Stanley says, “Whatever gets celebrated gets repeated.”
My most important job is still as a parent. A parent who deeply loves his kids, and encourages the good he sees.
And if you’ve ever complemented another parent on their kids, thank you. You might just have been the one who identified an unseen gift, or helped this at-home-teacher chill a bit and appreciate his kids a little more.