My last blog was on the topic of children or adults that have had serious issues with their parents and the need for society, culture, or religion to guilt them into forgiveness and putting up with abusive behavior in the name of “honor”. This blog post comes to you fresh pressed from a lense of good parenting.

It’s good to have a Dad that you can talk to about your grievances even when it involves him. Something he said REALLY bothered me and I didn’t say anything. Contrary to a small popular belief, I’m not MEAN because I SPEAK THE TRUTH and I do my best to speak it in love. I did not want to hurt his feelings. We had a awesome conversation this morning.

GOOD DADS ARE ESSENTIAL. GOOD, NOT PERFECT BUT GOOD. Good parents are essential and to be a good parent you don’t have to be perfect but you do have to be mature. You do need to grow and have the capacity to see your child as an adult, a human being. You do need to be able to be honest with yourself about yourself first. As a parent, I know that can be difficult. It’s okay to be wrong, to acknowledge a hurt or pain, and to apologize and explain. It is okay to explain to your child/adult child why you did or said a thing. It’s okay to say, I was young and inexperienced or I did what my parents did/what I thought was best and I can see now that was not good.

The TRUTH will set YOU free. If the other person’s heart and mind is right, they can receive THE TRUTH and be set free, too! But if their heart is hard and mind is set, that’s stoney ground and they’ll remain a prisoner of pride. And guess what comes before a great fall? I didn’t write the Bible. I’m just a messenger.

~Nikki