Parenting is at the same time, the greatest joy and the most difficult task one can undertake. Now, I’m a veteran, and getting opportunities to share my failings and hard lessons learned more often with parents younger than me. Here’s what I find myself saying over and over:

1. Parenting is hard. Much harder than you’ll ever imagine. Nobody can tell you how hard it is until you’ve experienced it.
2. Parents must work to set the spiritual temperature and pace in the home.
3. Limit technology. Limit technology. Limit technology. So much danger lurking on the other side of a click, finger swipe, and game controller.
4. Say no to Snap Chat. Just do it. There’s just nothing good about it. Just say no!
5. Recognize the competing voices in their hearts and heads and deal with them decisively.
6. Get them around mentors and positive people early and often.
7. Recognize God’s providence is greater than imperfect parental guidance.

What would you add to this list?

C.S. Lewis said it best: “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.”