How Having Children Changes Your Life: Parenting Stages and Letting Go

Agnes and Ryan talk about how having and raising children changes your life: the weight of responsibility, learning from older relatives, and the pain of holding on too tightly when children grow up and pair off. They cover how kids question family values and religion at school, the line between parent and friend, and worrying about raising children who are either too soft or too sheltered.

Takeaways

• Children are raised for the world, so parents should hold on in their hearts but not physically.
• Keep talking with your kids and model the behavior you want, since children copy what they see at home.
• There is no manual, so do your best, teach life skills and expect to keep learning alongside your children.

Chapters

• 0:00 Facebook glitch and introducing the topic
• 1:37 How becoming a parent changes your life
• 4:21 Agnes on becoming a mother
• 6:31 Learning from older sisters and friends
• 7:04 Attaching too tightly to your children
• 9:44 Cutting the cord and letting a son go
• 12:18 Liking the partner your child chooses
• 15:23 Raising two different age groups
• 16:56 Schools, cultures and questioning values
• 19:35 Integrity in a changing world
• 21:40 Parent first, friend later
• 24:14 Modeling the right behavior
• 26:19 Every generation parents differently
• 28:24 There is no manual
• 30:30 Toddler tantrums and discipline
• 33:07 Summary and a preview of part two

Conversation and opinion, not medical, legal, tax or financial advice.