Successful Relationships

I recently made a trip back to New Zealand to visit my sister, and reconnect to extended family members. My mother came from a family of 6 living brothers and sisters (2 others had died as children). We grew up living in a town near to two of these families.

One family lived in Oamaru and the other in Dunedin and we lived not too far from either of these families. This meant that vacation times were spent visiting one or the other. Consequently, in a sense my sister and I grew up with our cousins from both of these families.

Once we grew up, we all scattered across the world.
Then we all grew up and started to scatter across the world. One cousin married a sea captain. Her brothers followed her husband’s example which resulted in them being scattered across the world. Others went over to Australia as many kiwi youngsters do, looking for greater opportunities.

Children should be seen and not heard!

Do you remember those days? They were ignorant times for sure. They were days when it was thought that children would be able contribute something of value to society when they grew up. Meanwhile, they were to stay quiet, out of the way of the adults and amuse themselves, of course keeping out of trouble.

One of the key truths I taught in Mexico at the seminars for parents was that children are not a part of the church of tomorrow, but they are a part of the church TODAY. The same can be said of society. Children have something valuable to contribute to society TODAY.

Children are valuable citizens today, not just tomorrow!
Children do not have to wait until they grow up to become valuable. Hopefully we have left behind the days when children were to be seen and not heard. and we now understand that children are valuable human beings and an essential part of society.

I am sure you have heard the term “Tough Love”, and perhaps even had to apply it at one time or another. At the time of confrontation it may even seem beyond tough, but be encouraged, it does pay off.

Here’s a living example: (Names changed, but situation is real).
Some good friends of mine in Mexico whom I have known for probably 15 years or so have 2 sons. Both boys of course had the same opportunities, but as in many families, one was a little more rebellious than the other, actually quite a bit more rebellious.

Drastic Measures
Things became so difficult that one day the father stepped in and took some very drastic measures with the rebellious lad. He put him out of the home to fend for himself.