Young moms are sooo connected these days that they are bombarded with advice, opinions, shoulds and what not toos, all day, every day.
With so many voices coming at them it is hard to even sit and decide what they really believes is God’s best. Besides, just about the time one does decide, a new and better sounding idea comes along.
“Better sounding” is the key to unlocking this confusion. It really doesn’t matter how good an idea sounds if it doesn’t meet a few criteria.
First, is the idea Biblical? An action doesn’t have to be addressed specifically to weigh if it is Biblical or not. Many of the ideas floating around are not laid out in black in white, yet, that doesn’t mean the Lord doesn’t have direction for us. For example, so often a mom will state how they are basing a decision on their love for their child, yet, their idea of love is all mushy, soft and over looking disobedience while the Bible says, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” Proverbs 13: 24.
Secondly, is the idea a fad? Fads are powerful, everyone is doing them and pushing them, but they also fade quickly. Seek ways of training that you can do long term. Be cautious of fads. Instead of jumping on the band wagon, observe. When a fad is proven to be effective, then consider if it is something your family wants to adopt. Children need consistency, flipping from fad to fad relays confusion and the child feels unsure, not knowing what will be the new important thing around the corner.
Thirdly, is the idea a success? Are the people pushing an idea succeeding? Are they producing the results you desire in your home? Do they even have children? Don’t fall for the loudest or most passionate ideas, search for the product you want and go there to get your ideas.
Lastly, is the idea approved by your husband? Unity in parenting is so extremely important. A quick way to weed out a lot of unnecessary guilt or insecurity is to ask your husband what he thinks about any new idea. As a whole, we women would gain a lot of time if we let our husband glean through our parenting ideas before we waste hours of time and energy on something he doesn’t embrace.