Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, an international Christian communications ministry based in Colorado Springs, Colorado has just shared four tips on how to guide an adult child who has made several wrong decisions.
Daly said that even good parents can raise children who make poor choices in life, and he has seen many heartbroken parents try to understand what went wrong and how they can repair their children's mistakes.
In his blog, Daly dished out four tips that would hopefully get the child "back on track" and at the same time help parents overcome their troubles.
The first tip is for the parents to ease their guilt. He told parents to accept the fact that everybody makes mistakes, and even if it's painful to witness, understand that "your son or daughter is now old enough to make their own choices and to take responsibility for them," he wrote.
The next tip is to understand that the burden of getting life back on track is the child's problem, and not the parent's.
"As parents, this is a truth that's all-too-easy to forget," he explained. "Your role now is to encourage your adult child to make better choices and to give him advice if he asks for it. Just remember that he's old enough to take responsibility for his own life now, so let him be his own person."
The third tip is pretty difficult for parents, as Daly suggested for them to let the child suffer the consequences of his choices.
Daly explained that a child will never mature or realize the gravity of their mistakes if the parents keep rescuing them from it.
"Don't be too quick to save him from his pain," he urged. "Trust God, because He can use tough consequences to bring about humility, repentance and change."
Lastly, Daly called on parents to trust in the power of prayer, because it is faith that will help them overcome the most tumultuous moments of their lives. He understands that parenting a minor is easier than parenting grown children, so parents will need more faith to impart wisdom and guide grown children more effectively.
"That's why prayer is so important. God can still speak to your child's heart and He can still supernaturally work in his or her life," he said.
Daly expressed hoped that his words and tips will prove helpful to parents or grandparents who are currently undergoing a "tough season in their lives" and give them hope that things will work out for the better.
