Welcome back. 00:00:01.50\00:00:02.83 We're talking about raising children 00:00:02.86\00:00:04.30 and how that affects their marriage. 00:00:04.33\00:00:06.23 And we've mentioned that it's important to start 00:00:06.27\00:00:08.40 with the end goal in mind. 00:00:08.44\00:00:10.87 If we are in survival mode 00:00:10.91\00:00:13.38 that's a prescription for disaster. 00:00:13.41\00:00:15.31 It is and it puts stress on your marriage. 00:00:15.34\00:00:17.71 But to have a big plan is going to be helpful for us. 00:00:17.75\00:00:20.95 We have to have the end goal in mind. 00:00:20.98\00:00:22.88 I think we have to decide ahead of time, 00:00:22.92\00:00:25.62 what our goals are, 00:00:25.65\00:00:27.12 what our discipline style is going to be, 00:00:27.16\00:00:30.19 what our style of parenting is going to be. 00:00:30.23\00:00:32.86 Now that will vary as the years go by 00:00:32.89\00:00:35.50 and as you get more experience with it, 00:00:35.53\00:00:37.47 but I think it's important to say, all right, 00:00:37.50\00:00:40.17 here's what we really want for our children, 00:00:40.20\00:00:42.80 and here's how we're going to get there. 00:00:42.84\00:00:45.37 You need to decide is your discipline going to be, 00:00:45.41\00:00:48.18 you know, are you going to use corporal punishment. 00:00:48.21\00:00:50.98 Are you going to use time out? 00:00:51.01\00:00:52.35 Are you going to use... What are you going to use? 00:00:52.38\00:00:54.25 How is that going to be... 00:00:54.28\00:00:55.62 Or you're just going to scream frantically. 00:00:55.65\00:00:56.99 Yeah. 00:00:57.02\00:00:58.35 And if you don't have a plan that's what you will do. 00:00:58.39\00:01:00.96 That's what you'd do. Yeah. 00:01:00.99\00:01:02.62 So when you have a plan. 00:01:02.66\00:01:04.29 I think the thing that is helpful with that as well 00:01:04.33\00:01:07.10 in terms of the marriage, 00:01:07.13\00:01:08.86 is that you both are on the same page. 00:01:08.90\00:01:12.10 You've decided together 00:01:12.13\00:01:13.57 how you're going to handle things 00:01:13.60\00:01:15.37 and then even if you happen to be separated at the moment 00:01:15.40\00:01:18.34 one of you is dealing with the situation, 00:01:18.37\00:01:20.34 you already have the foundational principles 00:01:20.38\00:01:22.24 that you're going to use. 00:01:22.28\00:01:23.78 This is the way we deal with our children 00:01:23.81\00:01:26.41 and this is the way we handle things 00:01:26.45\00:01:27.78 and then you're not going to create conflict 00:01:27.82\00:01:29.38 with the other parent, 00:01:29.42\00:01:30.75 because you did something that they didn't like. 00:01:30.79\00:01:32.45 Plus, you don't create confusion in your children. 00:01:32.49\00:01:34.76 That's right. 00:01:34.79\00:01:36.12 It was always helpful for me 00:01:36.16\00:01:37.49 to know that you and I had a plan we were on the same team 00:01:37.53\00:01:40.03 and if we were apart from each other and the children 00:01:40.06\00:01:42.66 and, you know, our children 00:01:42.70\00:01:44.43 unlike any other child in the world, I'm sure, 00:01:44.47\00:01:46.23 because they try to play one of us against the other. 00:01:46.27\00:01:49.30 And no other child on the face of the planet 00:01:49.34\00:01:51.41 has ever done that, 00:01:51.44\00:01:52.77 but we had a habit 00:01:52.81\00:01:54.14 and that is that they came and asked us for something 00:01:54.18\00:01:55.74 and we were apart from one another, 00:01:55.78\00:01:57.81 we would always ask the question, 00:01:57.85\00:01:59.28 "Did you ask your mother? Or did you ask your father?" 00:01:59.31\00:02:01.32 Did you ask daddy? 00:02:01.35\00:02:02.68 You know and what did daddy say? 00:02:02.72\00:02:04.05 What did mom say? 00:02:04.09\00:02:05.42 And it frustrated the children, 00:02:05.45\00:02:06.79 but it also let them know that we were a team 00:02:06.82\00:02:09.52 and that kept the conflict down between us, 00:02:09.56\00:02:12.09 and it also gave the children a sense of solidarity 00:02:12.13\00:02:14.86 because mom and dad are working together in this. 00:02:14.90\00:02:16.87 That's right. 00:02:16.90\00:02:18.23 It's always helpful. Yeah. 00:02:18.27\00:02:19.60 And, you know, basically what your rules are 00:02:19.63\00:02:21.84 what you're approach is and so if you stay with that approach, 00:02:21.87\00:02:26.54 it keeps the children better off 00:02:26.57\00:02:28.44 and it keeps you on the same page. 00:02:28.48\00:02:29.98 I think it's also important for us to not assume 00:02:30.01\00:02:32.18 that we already know everything about parenting. 00:02:32.21\00:02:34.98 The most obnoxious experts on children 00:02:35.02\00:02:38.05 are those who don't have any. 00:02:38.09\00:02:39.42 Yeah. 00:02:39.45\00:02:40.79 Is like the story of this child psychiatrist 00:02:40.82\00:02:43.19 who started his career was 00:02:43.22\00:02:44.56 six theories of raising children 00:02:44.59\00:02:46.56 and he ended his career having raised six children 00:02:46.59\00:02:49.26 and they had no more theories. 00:02:49.30\00:02:50.63 That's right. Yeah. 00:02:50.67\00:02:52.00 A theory is wonderful, until you try to put into practice. 00:02:52.03\00:02:56.07 The truth is though... 00:02:56.10\00:02:58.14 Don't assume that you know what is right to do, 00:02:58.17\00:03:01.18 it's better to check with people who really are experts 00:03:01.21\00:03:04.48 who've done the research who know. 00:03:04.51\00:03:06.25 That means read some books. 00:03:06.28\00:03:08.02 There are so many resources out there 00:03:08.05\00:03:10.45 and we thought we'd mention a few, you know, 00:03:10.49\00:03:13.15 James Dobson's Dare to Discipline. 00:03:13.19\00:03:15.19 It's an oldie but goodie. 00:03:15.22\00:03:16.56 It's an oldie but goodie 00:03:16.59\00:03:17.93 it's been updated a few years ago, 00:03:17.96\00:03:19.73 he has some very solid principles. 00:03:19.76\00:03:23.16 Kevin Layman... Yeah. 00:03:23.20\00:03:25.43 "Have a New Kid by Friday." 00:03:25.47\00:03:26.80 It's a newer book, it's a good book. 00:03:26.84\00:03:28.54 "Have a New Kid by Friday," Isn't that a great thing. 00:03:28.57\00:03:30.54 And he just reduces parenting to simple things, you know, 00:03:30.57\00:03:33.78 just simple ways to do this and it's solid material. 00:03:33.81\00:03:37.68 Ron Flowers book, Rare Kids Well Done, 00:03:37.71\00:03:41.48 is another more recent book, it's excellent. 00:03:41.52\00:03:43.69 And Claudio and Pamela Consuegra 00:03:43.72\00:03:45.59 have created resources, 00:03:45.62\00:03:46.99 a video resource and titled, Help, I'm a parent. 00:03:47.02\00:03:51.66 It's hard to find a more apt description 00:03:51.69\00:03:53.56 or a more apt title, I think. 00:03:53.60\00:03:55.46 And I think that's, that's a good one 00:03:55.50\00:03:57.20 because it is a video resource. 00:03:57.23\00:03:59.00 It's something you can sit down you can pop it in and watch it. 00:03:59.03\00:04:02.27 You and I were a part of that resource as well. 00:04:02.30\00:04:04.97 We were on camera for some of that is as well. 00:04:05.01\00:04:06.98 So we know that there are resources out there, 00:04:07.01\00:04:09.34 it's important not to just think, 00:04:09.38\00:04:10.71 well, I already know what I need to know. 00:04:10.75\00:04:12.81 But to raise them in the same way 00:04:12.85\00:04:14.18 my parents raised me. 00:04:14.22\00:04:15.55 That may be good and it may not be good. 00:04:15.58\00:04:17.52 And even if it is good, it may not agree 00:04:17.55\00:04:19.72 with what your spouse wants to do so, 00:04:19.75\00:04:21.82 you've got to make these decisions together. 00:04:21.86\00:04:23.96 Check it out together, find what the experts say 00:04:23.99\00:04:26.90 and then come up with a plan based on that. 00:04:26.93\00:04:28.60 So keeping your own relationships strong, 00:04:28.63\00:04:31.33 setting goals for what you want to do, 00:04:31.37\00:04:34.14 being willing to reach out 00:04:34.17\00:04:35.50 and have resources is also important 00:04:35.54\00:04:37.77 and then maintaining just romance 00:04:37.81\00:04:39.97 in your own relationships. 00:04:40.01\00:04:41.34 That's going to be key. 00:04:41.38\00:04:42.71 To know that it is the foundational part 00:04:42.74\00:04:45.21 of your family. 00:04:45.25\00:04:47.48 But to keep the joy in it 00:04:47.52\00:04:49.62 because there are romantic times 00:04:49.65\00:04:51.15 that you still need even though you have kids, 00:04:51.19\00:04:53.56 keep it as a priority. 00:04:53.59\00:04:54.99 And that's just basic principles 00:04:55.02\00:04:56.73 for raising children. 00:04:56.76\00:04:58.29 Dobson talks about the fact that healthy children are found 00:04:58.33\00:05:03.57 they are produced by a relationship with parents 00:05:03.60\00:05:06.74 that begins with warmth and then add structure. 00:05:06.77\00:05:10.47 Warmth first, structure later and so if the children 00:05:10.51\00:05:14.24 first and foremost know that they are loved and accepted. 00:05:14.28\00:05:17.41 That they are the treasure that the apple of mom and dad's eye, 00:05:17.45\00:05:23.39 then when we add structure, 00:05:23.42\00:05:24.95 as we add the rules 00:05:24.99\00:05:26.65 they grow out of that experience of warmth 00:05:26.69\00:05:28.99 and it's harder to produce rebellion, 00:05:29.02\00:05:30.89 not impossible but harder to produce rebellion. 00:05:30.93\00:05:34.23 If the rules or as few as possible, 00:05:34.26\00:05:36.36 well chosen and consistently enforced, 00:05:36.40\00:05:38.57 but they grow out of warmth, 00:05:38.60\00:05:40.60 then you're going to have a much more 00:05:40.64\00:05:42.04 pleasant experience with the children. 00:05:42.07\00:05:43.51 Well, I think we've talked a little bit 00:05:43.54\00:05:45.01 about two different types of leadership, 00:05:45.04\00:05:48.01 two different types of parenting 00:05:48.04\00:05:50.05 and I think it would be helpful to talk about it again here, 00:05:50.08\00:05:52.75 because it fits so well with our children. 00:05:52.78\00:05:55.25 Well, the one style that a lot of people resort to 00:05:55.28\00:05:59.22 is authoritarian. 00:05:59.25\00:06:01.12 Authoritarian. 00:06:01.16\00:06:02.49 Authoritarian, it starts with command and control. 00:06:02.52\00:06:05.26 It's I give the rules, I give the orders 00:06:05.29\00:06:07.43 and when I say jump on the way up, 00:06:07.46\00:06:08.96 you ask how high. 00:06:09.00\00:06:10.47 So a lot of shouting of orders and it's tends to be cold, 00:06:10.50\00:06:14.14 but it tends to be forced discipline and forced structure 00:06:14.17\00:06:18.97 and it starts with structure and command and control. 00:06:19.01\00:06:22.04 The problem is that control itself 00:06:22.08\00:06:25.01 is one of the elements of abuse. 00:06:25.05\00:06:27.35 Power and control are abuse of the elements 00:06:27.38\00:06:29.22 and so authoritarian leadership in the home 00:06:29.25\00:06:33.42 almost always produces rebellion. 00:06:33.46\00:06:35.99 But parents are the authority in the house, right? 00:06:36.02\00:06:38.83 So how does that work if we're not to be authoritarian? 00:06:38.86\00:06:41.86 Well, there is a second model. 00:06:41.90\00:06:43.23 Okay. And that is authoritative. 00:06:43.26\00:06:45.57 And this is more of the model of leadership of Jesus. 00:06:45.60\00:06:48.77 It begins with warmth and adds structure. 00:06:48.80\00:06:52.81 It's important to have the structure. 00:06:52.84\00:06:54.28 We're not saying throw away the rules. 00:06:54.31\00:06:56.21 That's ridiculous, that's also a prescription for disaster. 00:06:56.24\00:06:59.48 Some people have warmth and nothing else. 00:06:59.51\00:07:01.48 But it starts with warmth and then add structure 00:07:01.52\00:07:04.02 in the midst of that warmth. 00:07:04.05\00:07:06.45 So when the children know, daddy, first of all loves me 00:07:06.49\00:07:11.39 and he cares for me, therefore, 00:07:11.43\00:07:13.13 he has rules and daddy adds structure 00:07:13.16\00:07:15.63 but the structure is for my protection. 00:07:15.66\00:07:18.77 We tried to never add a rule to our children 00:07:18.80\00:07:21.30 that we didn't have an explanation for. 00:07:21.34\00:07:24.07 The explanation because I said so, 00:07:24.11\00:07:27.11 is usually not strong enough, 00:07:27.14\00:07:28.68 especially as the child gets older. 00:07:28.71\00:07:30.48 It seems forced and it seems arbitrary and it seems angry, 00:07:30.51\00:07:34.82 but if indeed I have a reason for this, 00:07:34.85\00:07:36.48 well this is for your protection. 00:07:36.52\00:07:38.09 This is what I know is the possible result of this 00:07:38.12\00:07:40.89 or this is about a choice. 00:07:40.92\00:07:42.96 Your mother and I have made this choice 00:07:42.99\00:07:45.19 and this is the reason we made the choice. 00:07:45.23\00:07:47.36 This is what we encourage for you to do the same thing 00:07:47.40\00:07:50.20 because the result has been good for us. 00:07:50.23\00:07:52.50 So when you're in our houses this is the choice we make 00:07:52.53\00:07:55.17 because this is who we are, 00:07:55.20\00:07:56.81 eventually you make your own decision on this, 00:07:56.84\00:07:58.54 but this is what we've chosen now and this is why. 00:07:58.57\00:08:01.28 So it starts with warmth and then add structure. 00:08:01.31\00:08:03.75 Absolutely. 00:08:03.78\00:08:05.11 You know, I had an experience with our grand daughter 00:08:05.15\00:08:07.55 just a couple days ago. 00:08:07.58\00:08:08.92 She's learning. 00:08:08.95\00:08:10.29 You know, she's only four and she is learning to obey 00:08:10.32\00:08:14.52 and to follow directions and follow rules 00:08:14.56\00:08:16.86 and she was reaching for something and I said, no, 00:08:16.89\00:08:20.36 and she kept reaching, you know, 00:08:20.40\00:08:22.26 and went ahead and did whatever it was. 00:08:22.30\00:08:25.47 So we had to stop and have a conversation 00:08:25.50\00:08:27.80 about that and to explain to her why? 00:08:27.84\00:08:31.21 Why is this important that you obey right at the moment 00:08:31.24\00:08:34.94 that you've been asked to obey. 00:08:34.98\00:08:36.88 And so I told her a little story. 00:08:36.91\00:08:39.51 But I think it's those moments that you are just teaching 00:08:39.55\00:08:44.12 as you go along in life, you know, 00:08:44.15\00:08:45.95 you're not shouting rules screaming yelling. 00:08:45.99\00:08:48.76 You're saying here's what we need to do, and here's why? 00:08:48.79\00:08:52.06 Finding those teachable moments. 00:08:52.09\00:08:53.43 Yeah. 00:08:53.46\00:08:54.86 She was, you know, I told her if, 00:08:54.90\00:08:56.77 if I can't trust you to obey me at the moment when I say it, 00:08:56.80\00:09:01.60 then I can't protect you 00:09:01.64\00:09:03.97 because then you might be in danger 00:09:04.01\00:09:06.51 and but you haven't learned to obey the moment 00:09:06.54\00:09:09.21 you've been asked to obey. 00:09:09.24\00:09:11.08 And then you might step into danger 00:09:11.11\00:09:13.58 because you didn't listen. 00:09:13.62\00:09:15.38 So those kinds of things where they understand why, 00:09:15.42\00:09:20.29 and yet they're still learning the lesson. 00:09:20.32\00:09:22.46 Teaching those lessons is a proactive approach 00:09:22.49\00:09:25.36 because it sets a personal identity 00:09:25.39\00:09:27.53 and a corporate identity as a family. 00:09:27.56\00:09:30.00 We always try to tell our children, 00:09:30.03\00:09:32.07 this is how we do it in our household. 00:09:32.10\00:09:34.07 You're a part of the Tucker family 00:09:34.10\00:09:35.94 and the Tucker's do it this way. 00:09:35.97\00:09:37.87 This is why we do it this way. 00:09:37.91\00:09:39.74 And then when we would see 00:09:39.77\00:09:41.11 someone making a different choice, 00:09:41.14\00:09:42.84 maybe with a disastrous result, 00:09:42.88\00:09:45.15 we would look at the children say 00:09:45.18\00:09:46.51 we're so proud of you 00:09:46.55\00:09:47.88 because you've decided to do things our way, 00:09:47.92\00:09:50.39 we do things this way because Jesus feels like 00:09:50.42\00:09:52.75 this is a better way and we see the results are much better. 00:09:52.79\00:09:55.62 So I'm proud of you, for making those choices 00:09:55.66\00:09:57.59 and when we continue to rehearse that 00:09:57.63\00:10:00.10 with the children they would gain an idea 00:10:00.13\00:10:02.43 of who they are, they gather a personal identity. 00:10:02.46\00:10:06.27 It was tied up with Jesus, following Jesus, 00:10:06.30\00:10:08.14 it was tied up with their identity 00:10:08.17\00:10:09.50 with the family, as of Tucker's this is how we do things. 00:10:09.54\00:10:13.14 This is a part of what our team is like and this is what we do. 00:10:13.17\00:10:17.08 And so it became a teachable moment. 00:10:17.11\00:10:18.78 I know some of those moments came for you 00:10:18.81\00:10:20.15 at the kitchen sink with your mother. 00:10:20.18\00:10:21.68 They did. 00:10:21.72\00:10:23.05 I've often said that I could write a book called, 00:10:23.08\00:10:25.05 "Lessons from the kitchen sink," 00:10:25.09\00:10:26.52 you know, because I remember so many times standing there 00:10:26.55\00:10:30.03 with my mom and we're you know, 00:10:30.06\00:10:31.73 we're scrubbing potatoes or we're washing dishes 00:10:31.76\00:10:35.10 or whatever it happened to be. 00:10:35.13\00:10:36.97 And she would just talk to me and we would talk about 00:10:37.00\00:10:41.17 so many different things. 00:10:41.20\00:10:42.54 I remember her teaching me to sing the song 00:10:42.57\00:10:44.77 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', 00:10:44.81\00:10:46.14 while we're standing at the sink. 00:10:46.17\00:10:47.94 I also remember asking her about what it would be like 00:10:47.98\00:10:50.81 when Jesus came and her talking about all the things 00:10:50.85\00:10:53.68 that would happen at the time that Jesus came 00:10:53.72\00:10:56.99 and I could just picture it, you know, 00:10:57.02\00:10:59.35 that was the moment there 00:10:59.39\00:11:01.29 when I remember having a calling on my life 00:11:01.32\00:11:03.96 to be in ministry, because we were talking about, 00:11:03.99\00:11:07.76 Mary, the mother of Jesus, and how special she was 00:11:07.80\00:11:11.57 and how she listened to God's voice 00:11:11.60\00:11:14.34 and he just spoke to me at that moment and said, 00:11:14.37\00:11:17.61 "I have something special for you to do as well." 00:11:17.64\00:11:21.04 And so you know there are those moments you don't know 00:11:21.08\00:11:25.08 what moment is going to stick in your child's mind. 00:11:25.11\00:11:27.52 No free passes, are there? There are no free passes. 00:11:27.55\00:11:30.15 Sometimes, we think, oh, they won't remember this. 00:11:30.19\00:11:32.29 But the other thing that we do is we create a special event 00:11:32.32\00:11:36.59 or something or a moment that we think 00:11:36.62\00:11:39.39 is a teachable moment and we make it very special 00:11:39.43\00:11:43.20 and later on you figure out they didn't even remember it. 00:11:43.23\00:11:45.57 They don't remember it. 00:11:45.60\00:11:46.94 But they remember some little tiny thing over here 00:11:46.97\00:11:48.77 that you never had in your mind at all. 00:11:48.80\00:11:51.61 You thought it was just nothing. 00:11:51.64\00:11:54.01 Yeah and yet they learned a basic life lesson from that. 00:11:54.04\00:11:56.88 I think a part of one of the final things 00:11:56.91\00:11:59.15 we can share with parents 00:11:59.18\00:12:00.52 is don't be afraid to be the parent. 00:12:00.55\00:12:01.92 You know, that's one of the things 00:12:01.95\00:12:03.28 that we share with young parents a lot. 00:12:03.32\00:12:06.42 There is so much information out there. 00:12:06.45\00:12:08.99 There are so many psychological principles 00:12:09.02\00:12:12.19 and so much on the Internet and everything. 00:12:12.23\00:12:15.33 There's information being thrust at parents. 00:12:15.36\00:12:18.57 It's overload. 00:12:18.60\00:12:19.93 It is overload it's at a rate they cannot even comprehend 00:12:19.97\00:12:23.30 and most of it ends up with the feeling of 00:12:23.34\00:12:27.14 I can't possibly do this. 00:12:27.18\00:12:28.64 Inadequacy. Inadequacy. 00:12:28.68\00:12:30.95 They feel overwhelmed. 00:12:30.98\00:12:32.48 And they feel like they're going to damage their children 00:12:32.51\00:12:35.08 because, they've read so many things 00:12:35.12\00:12:37.12 that they're supposed to do 00:12:37.15\00:12:38.49 and they can't possibly do all of them. 00:12:38.52\00:12:40.79 That now my child is going to end up 00:12:40.82\00:12:42.96 like you said in therapy. 00:12:42.99\00:12:44.33 In therapy. 00:12:44.36\00:12:45.69 You know, in fact, I have some nephews 00:12:45.73\00:12:47.06 that tease their mom's and say, 00:12:47.10\00:12:48.43 "Well, this is going to be years of therapy 00:12:48.46\00:12:49.80 over this one you know." 00:12:49.83\00:12:51.17 So they've they feel that way and it paralyzes parents. 00:12:51.20\00:12:56.00 It does. So we need to not be paralyzed. 00:12:56.04\00:12:58.14 You are the parent you are the authority 00:12:58.17\00:13:01.91 and you want to be an authority in an authoritative manner... 00:13:01.94\00:13:05.68 Rather than authoritarian. Not authoritarian. 00:13:05.71\00:13:07.52 But don't be afraid to parent. 00:13:07.55\00:13:09.48 Set the guidelines, stay with them, 00:13:09.52\00:13:13.72 make sure that you guide your child 00:13:13.76\00:13:16.16 and they're not the one in control. 00:13:16.19\00:13:17.53 One of the ways you can do that 00:13:17.56\00:13:18.99 is by giving your child lots of choices. 00:13:19.03\00:13:21.76 You know, sometimes there are choices you can give them, 00:13:21.80\00:13:24.40 when they're real little, they can start making choices 00:13:24.43\00:13:27.67 and it's important to allow them to do that. 00:13:27.70\00:13:30.24 But you need to make those choices within boundaries 00:13:30.27\00:13:34.18 that you are comfortable with. 00:13:34.21\00:13:36.01 In other words, you don't say to your little toddler, 00:13:36.04\00:13:39.48 "Do you want to eat a sandwich? 00:13:39.51\00:13:41.18 Because, typically they will say, "No." 00:13:41.22\00:13:42.78 Yeah. 00:13:42.82\00:13:44.15 But if you want them to eat a sandwich you ask them, 00:13:44.19\00:13:47.46 "Do you want a peanut butter sandwich 00:13:47.49\00:13:49.72 or cheese sandwich?" 00:13:49.76\00:13:52.06 That's right. You know. 00:13:52.09\00:13:53.43 And don't forget that Jesus is a part of this 00:13:53.46\00:13:55.53 and he can help you stay madly in love forever. 00:13:55.56\00:13:58.57