Something to Muench on: The 4-letter word that speaks volumes

This is officially my last First Day Back to School. My eldest is about to turn 35 years old, my youngest of five (and only daughter) is about to step into her senior year of high school with an unclear plan for what’s next. That’s a lot of years of making sure I bought the right school supplies, filled the lunch account, and took a ceremonial 1^st Day picture by the front door.

Am I sad? Kind of. But I know, like everything else about life, we when we focus on appreciating each stage we are in and not get too caught up in the phase we’re leaving, it’s healthy for our soul. I know that someday I’ll be on the receiving end of the 1^st Day of School pictures of my grandkids.

I will cherish that stage as well.

As a mom of five, and someone who works daily with families in the midst of raising adolescents, I’d love to share just one word of caution as your family heads into the upcoming school year.

And that word is…tone.

The tone of your voice when talking with your kids is a foundation for their self-beliefs and can make all the difference in the world to their family and home life experience. Be intentional with the tone in your voice so your children feel supported and encouraged as they walk through this next school year.

The beginning of the school year can bring with it sometimes unrealistic expectations about how our kids should be performing academically, socially, behaviorally, emotionally. Don’t throw all expectations out the window, yet be cognizant of whether or not, based on your child’s unique strengths and challenges, you are being realistic when setting your expectations.

One question to ask yourself is, “What is my priority…to create a compliant child, or to build a relationship based in mutual respect and encouraging human growth?”

School performance is only one aspect of who our children are. The world we are handing down to them is complex and one of the most important skills we can give them is the ability to believe in their worth as a human being regardless of the grade they received on their test.

Sending you much strength, patience, and grace as we step into the 2022-2023 school year!