Author of quotes: Philip Mamalakis. Page 1

Life is hard and we can't change it, but we can try to empathize with our child by gently and sympathetically acknowledging the difficulty of the struggle. We are on their side.

We don't have bad or naughty kids. We have kids who are learning.

There are things we need to learn that can only be learned through parenting struggles.

Parenting reveals areas where we need to heal and grow.

Being alone in the struggle is something that leaves painful memories for a long time. If we want to raise disciplined and motivated children, we must allow them to experience the normal hardships and challenges of life. If we love our children, we will be by their side in their difficulties. Children need struggle to develop. They just don't have to go through it alone.

The ability to rise when we fall, like the very values and virtues that we are trying to teach our children, is learned only through struggle. Just as the only way to strengthen our muscles is by tightening them, the only way for children to become strong is through wrestling. It develops. However, we do not need to leave our children alone in their trials, or give them special trials. Life provides ample opportunities for our children to fight, learn and grow. We need to learn how to accompany them in their struggle.

When you compare your children to others, you are disrespecting your child and losing his trust.

Comparing your children to their friends or other children is devastating. The fact is that different children struggle with different things, but everyone struggles with something. This is how the world works. By comparing them, we tell them that there is something wrong with them. That their brother or sister is better because they don't have to fight so hard. This is a destructive lie. We want to teach our children that God loves them completely, no matter what they struggle with or how long they struggle.

We want to convey to the children that the church is necessary and is the source and center of life, because Christ is necessary for us and is the source and center of our life. Connecting our homes to the Church is how we respond to boredom in the church. The church is very boring if we do not participate in what happens in it. If we do not understand the liturgy, the psalms, the readings, the images and sounds of the church, it is difficult to be attentive. The closer children get to know what they see, hear and smell in church, the more willingly they participate in its life. We help them become involved in the liturgical life of the Church by bringing the customs of the Church into our homes.

By giving little attention to children and yet forcing them to go to church, we are almost guaranteed to raise people who want nothing to do with the church.

Parenting is not about getting kids to do the right thing or making life easy for them. Education is about trying to walk alongside them as they learn to fight in the name of doing the right thing.

There are several temptations that we, as parents, need to avoid: ignoring or rejecting the internal struggles of children, indulging their desires, and trying to solve their problems ourselves.

If we never learn how to struggle to do something difficult, we will end up miserable in life.

Learning to love is hard, but it's the right thing to do. The only thing harder than acquiring love is living life without patience and love.