Parenting is a Trip!

Murphy's Laws of Parenting by Mike Murphy (from Moody Radio)

1. God has a sense of humor. That's why He made you a parent.
2. What works with one child in a family will have the exact opposite effect on the other children.
3. Whatever you fail to do when your children are young will come back to haunt you when they are adolescents.
4. Your biggest fear is that you are becoming your parents.
5. After a big argument in your home where all members of the family walk away slamming doors you will be immediately confronted by a friend from church who will make you feel guilty for having a family that is not spiritually, and emotionally mature.Murphy's Corollary: Most gut wrenching arguments occur on the way to church.
6. Sometime during the parenting years you will consider joining a support group for the parentally challenged.
7. The things your kids say to you that will get you the maddest will be the very things they heard come out of your mouth.
8. Sometime during your child's adolescence you will wonder if you really want to spend eternity with them.
9. You will consider boarding school options at least once during the life of each child.
10. Support must precede challenge.
11. You are in the memory making business.
12. Adolescents still need their parents.
13. As kids grow older you will spend less time talking to them about God and more time talking to God about your kids.
14. All kids can be challenging at times - so can parents.
15. If your parenting plan isn't working consider developing a new one.
16. Authoritarian parents drive their kids crazy and away.
17. Kids can't trust permissive parents.
18. Any friend who claims they never have any problems with their children shouldn't be taken seriously.
19. Don't let anyone put you into a box.
20. The Word of God has great insights about parenting.