One tension in the art of grace-based parenting is teaching kids that while grace and love are unconditional, skill, excellence, responsibility, success and trust aren’t.
Those take work, effort, initiative, character, and intention.
Encouragement without challenge is boring and enabling and can lead to entitlement.
Challenge without encouragement is discouraging and exhausting and can lead to a performance-based life.
Encouragement and challenge are inspiring and empowering.
But it’s so hard to provide just the right balance; it’s the balance of grace and truth.
How have you encouraged or challenged your child (young or adult) to grow, tryout for something, stick with something, be more responsible, get a job, stretch outside their comfort zone towards their potential without causing them to think they aren’t “good enough” or what they do is never enough?
