“Because I said so!”

Have you ever had your parents say that to you? Mine did and it always frustrated me so much! When I was growing up, I always thought that I understood everything (including more than my parents) and deserved an explanation for every decision my parents made.

But now I realize, just how Tom shared last Monday night, that we really don’t understand what it’s like to be in our parent’s shoes. A lot of the rules that my parents enforced when I was a student I didn’t understand at the time (I thought they just liked being party-poopers) but I now see that they just wanted what was best for me.

And it was apparent through the discussions last Monday night, that there are a variety of experiences with parents that exist at Campus Life: some good and some bad.

But, no matter how different our experiences are, I think there are things we can all do to make our relationship better with our parents.

And what is that?

Treat them the way you would want to be treated: With love and respect.

You want them to listen to you? Then listen to them. You want them to not yell at you, then don’t yell at them. You want them to show more interest in you? Then show interest in them.

"But, I’ve already done all that and it doesn’t change anything!” you might say. Well then I have two things for you:

1. First, I challenge you to ask yourself, are you really (REALLY) doing everything you could do? Are you really doing EVERYTHING you could do in loving your parents, listening to them and respecting them? I believe as parents, they deserve your respect and obedience because they have brought you into the world and are now doing their part in raising you. The least you can do is respect and obey them.
2. Second, maybe you are indeed doing everything you could do to make your relationship with your parents better and they still don’t respond in the same loving way that you would expect. What I say to you then is this: Don’t Stop! True love is giving even when you don’t receive anything in return. You can’t control how your parents will react, but you CAN control your actions and attitude towards them. So, keep respecting them and obeying them and you’ll be playing your part in the relationship.

Toward the end of the night, I asked my small group, “What is one thing you could do to better your relationship with your parents?”

One student responded, “To just tell them that I love them. I haven’t told them that in a long time.”

That may sound cheesy to you but it isn’t. And it won’t be to your parents. And if they ask, “What do you want?” after you say that, don’t get mad, just say, “Nothing, I just wanted you to know.”

See you next Monday at the Warehouse for Campus Life's Halloween Party!

-Eric Kuehl

Check out the pics from the night below!