be embarrassing, be embarrassed

My kids have to endure all the embarrassing things from my husband and me. We go out of our way to make sure that they experience all the eye-rolling and head shaking opportunities that we can offer them. It's our right as parents. WE HAVE EARNED THAT RIGHT, for Pete's sake!

I'm a big fan of making a goofy fool of myself in front of and with my kids. I sing at the top of my lungs when we're in the truck. I dance in the kitchen while I cook (shoot, I dance anywhere, even in the truck while we're driving around!) I say ridiculous things to their friends and crack jokes that only I think are funny (and I laugh too, even if I am the only one! ...which I usually am.) I'm sure it you asked my kids, they could list 45 other embarrassing things that I've done to traumatize them.

But you know what? With all that, I've managed to create a very open relationship with my kids. Through my unabashed goofiness and my willingness to talk about pretty much anything with my kids, it has been established that those two kiddos of mine can approach me to talk about anything that's on their mind.

Parents, if there is one piece of advice I can give you, it's this: don't be so prideful that you close all doors of communication with your kids. (That's tonight's advice, anyway. It could be different advice next week!) It's hard and it's embarrassing and humiliating, but all of that is worth it to have communication with your kids.

I've been having open conversations since my kids were old enough to understand me. We've talked about drugs, smoking, sex, homosexuality, racism, God, the devil, and a myriad of other subjects that my kids are being exposed to at young ages. (Don't worry, I am very clear to my children about which subjects should not get discussed with other children!) 

There are some tough subjects to talk about with our kids these days. But if we don't get out of our own way to talk about the embarrassing things, someone else probably will and we might not like what they have to tell our kids. 

So here's my challenge to you: find that subject you've been avoiding talking about with your kid. Pray about it, rehearse what you want to say (I do that all the time!) and then intentionally find a time to bring it up and discuss with them. Open doors. You never know when you'll be glad that you did...

KC