Most parents I know work very hard to raise their kids responsibly. As parents, we want the best for our children. I’ve talked with many parents, who share with me, that they suffer when they see their child suffer or struggle. I too remember watching our kids as they became frustrated or perhaps struggled with life’s challenges. I also remember my own temptation to lessen their suffering…after all what parent wants to watch their child struggle? In our best attempt to protect our children, perhaps we have over-protected them. In our efforts to “help them”, maybe we’ve helped them a bit too much.

When we try to lessen their struggles, we sometimes inadvertently send a message that we don’t believe they’re capable of handling life’s challenges.
However, children eventually grow up and are asked to face challenges in their own life. Don’t we want to prepare them, when they’re younger, to work through life’s ups and downs, rather than wait until they’re out in the real world, on their own?

Although our kids don’t come with instruction manuals, there are some things that we can do as parents to guide our children into responsible adulthood…and yes, there are some things that we shouldn’t do.

I’ve invited Dr. Tim Elmore to join my conversation today. Tim is the founder and president of Growing Leaders, an Atlanta- based non-profit organization created to develop emerging leaders. Through Growing Leaders, he and his team provide public schools, state universities, civic organizations, and corporations with the tools they need to help develop young leaders who can impact and transform society.

Tim has written more than 25 books, and has recently released his newest book, “12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid…Leading Your Kids to Succeed in Life”. Recognized as a thought leader on the emerging generation, Tim has been quoted in articles on Generation Y and generational diversity in the workplace in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Investor’s Business Daily, Huffington Post, and the Atlanta Business Chronicle.