84 - Rules

Full transcript here 👋

Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is rules. We’ve set up a whole system in our house that relies on kids asking permission to do some pretty basic things, and I wish we didn’t have to live with so many rules. We’ve tried simplifying house rules to some basics like the Golden Rule, but that doesn’t help much when your kids won’t just stay seated at the table. Setting expectations and giving consequences seems to be the most effective way to manage behaviors, but when does management become unnecessary? Ha, you can probably tell that we are in the thick of raising kids, because I can’t tell which way is up.

Today’s concrete challenge is to question your rules. These might be household rules, but it’s also possible you have what Jon Acuff calls secret rules. Have you ever thought, “It’s cheating to ask for help.” or “My kids need me to do everything for them.”? Consider revising your rules right now.

I’ll keep the music playing while you fill in the blanks of the following phrases, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

A rule I’d like to change is _____. My new rule is _____.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who can question the rules that I set for myself and others.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.