Pick Your Battles

"Pick your battles."  How many times do we hear it as parents?  How many times do we say it as parents?  It's our mantra.  It's how we get through the craziness of parenting a toddler or a teenager.  Pick your battles.  The problem is that a whole lot of parents aren't picking the right battles to fight.  They're going into battles that they should be facing in full armor with a wiffle bat.

So what battles are worth fighting?  Here's an easy way to determine it....

*If it affects your child's long-term future negatively, it's a battle worth fighting.

*If it affects your child's health in a severely negative way, it's a battle worth fighting.

*If it's a "lesson" that will put your child or someone else in danger, it's a battle worth fighting.

*If it involves a matter of learning or practicing respect for others or for themselves, it's a battle worth fighting.

You get the idea.

What kind of battles aren't worth it?  Here's a short list....

*Whether or not your child eats every single thing, every single time.

*Whether or not your child feels the need to dip every single thing he eats in ketchup

*Whether or not your child works on their homework at 3:10 or 3:30 (example).

*If your children are having a petty argument over silly stuff.

*Whether your son wants to wear gym shorts everywhere, all the time.

*What your child wears, in general (assuming they are weather appropriate and clean)

Again, you get the idea.

Instead of spending your time arguing over whether or not little Johnny eats every bite of his broccoli, maybe argue over him acting like a little punk to his teacher.  Instead of spending your time arguing if Susie wants to wear mismatched patterns, maybe argue more about Susie disrespecting her body for a boy.   Instead of "pick your battles," let's start focusing on "picking your battles WISELY."