This video says it better than I ever could with words. Take a look at this father’s joy when his young son hits a homerun—a proud dad to be sure!
But I have other pictures running through my mind that are not so fun to watch. I’m speaking to the times I’ve observed situations where parents withheld approval to their kids or even openly showed their disapproval. As an 11-year-old Little Leaguer, I can still recall seeing the way one of my teammates, Terry, was treated by his dad following our games. When Terry played well, his dad was all smiles and loaded him up with junk food from the nearby snack bar. When he didn’t, his dad treated him like dirt and wouldn’t let him go with his teammates to the snack bar. Painful to watch. It got so bad that in the dugout before the game ended, I noticed the dread on Terry’s face before stepping out to face his disapproving father.
I’m not speaking to times when your child has stepped out of line and needs correction. I’m referring to those instances when your son or daughter simply has fallen short of your expectations.
So, I’m just asking: how are you doing with showing your children approval, even if they didn’t perform as well as you would have liked? Nothing means more to a child than approval from a parent.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3).