Words Have a Lasting Impact on Children

Over the years I've shared posts with you which my friend Maralee McKee, the Manner' Mentor, wrote on her blog; this one is from a few years ago, but is true today, too. Maralee wrote about her visit to a store where she heard unkind words being spoken by a mother to her daughter. Maralee said, "Words linger...words wind their way through our mind dropping off in every nook and cranny. They're never forgotten. Our sub-conscious holds on to them. After all our parents voice is our first voice of truth. Mama said it's so, so it has to be right."

Maralee is right. Words do have a lasting impact on children; they do "linger" and are remembered throughout a lifetime. She went on to say, "One of two things will happen in the coming years if she's talked to often like in this way: She'll spend her life trying to over compensate and feeling like she never measures up; or she'll rebel into a reckless lifestyle feeling like, 'What's the use. I'm useless.' Our voice is our child's destiny. Pray daily we will speak gracious life into our children, our correction will be with love, and our encouragement will be to build their character not their egos. And most of all, our words will lead them to their Heavenly Father so when we mess up as parents, (and we do, and we will some more) they will know their one Parent Who always speaks life . . . glorious life to His children."

Parenting is not easy. All parents experience stress and children, no matter how sweet they are, can challenge even the most patient parent from time to time.  As grandmas we need to be absolutely sure our words are ones which, "Speak gracious life into our grandchildren's lives". Be certain the words children hear at your house are ones which, as Maralee says, "leads them to their Heavenly Father so they will know their one Parent Who always speaks life . . . glorious life to His children." 

We also need to be intentional about taking time to do the same with our grown children. We are still; and always will be, their mom. We know - from personal experience - how challenging it can be to parent, so when we see our grown children doing a great job parenting our grandchildren, take the time to speak grace-filled words which encourage them in their parenting!

You'll find Maralee's full post at this link - take time to read it and follow her blog; she has so much wisdom which you'll put to use not only as mom and grandma, but in your day-in-day-out life with others, too!