Do you remember the movie Driving Miss Daisy? One of the main characters, Boolie, describes his mother—Miss Daisy—as “a little high strung.” She needed to be in control at all times. She was in everybody else’s business. She had to have it her way all the time, too. Mom or Dad, does that describe you? How do you deal with a son or daughter who’s NOT wired that way? Some kids need to feel the wind beneath their wings. Suggestion: use one of the fruits of the Spirit: longsuffering. It’s described as “a fusion of patience and power.”1 Give your child a little slack with clear boundaries, and then watch them thrive. It won’t be easy, but practicing longsuffering can be just the example needed to point them to Jesus.

1“The Fruit of the Spirit – Longsuffering” by Don Hooser, UCG.org.

Suggested Reading: Galatians 5:22-24