My daughter Tara and I wrote a study guide (included in the back of the book) for parents who wanted to go deeper than just reading World Changer. It's our hope that parents across the country will take time to meet up with other parents and discuss these challenging lessons. Here's a look at one of them:

Live Well, Love Well

Let’s be honest. Most kids don’t come into this world as darling little cherubs who never misbehave, throw tantrums, or unbutton your entire shirt in public when you’re not paying attention. (Yes, that really happened!) They enter this world as completely selfish, demanding, little humans. They don’t know any better. And if left to themselves, they will grow up to be completely selfish, demanding, big humans.

That’s why God gives us parents.

I saw a poster many years ago that read “God loves me just the way I am, but too much to let me stay that way.” That is exactly how good parents see their children. Unfortunately, many of us have been bamboozled—by media, movies, self-help books, and other sources—into believing our kids will be what they will be and it’s our job to simply protect them as they mysteriously “become.” That’s not love, my friend, and as a result, we’re watching society crumble before our eyes.

I shudder as I contemplate the generation of kids who have now hit college and need “safe spaces” to avoid hearing opinions they disagree with. Where do you think that started? Let’s not become so sophisticated and enlightened that we no longer teach good common sense.

One clear result of today’s illogical thinking is the explosion of stories about teachers who are verbally and physically abused by their students. And then, in the aftermath, we hear the so-called “parent” defending the child’s actions. How is that good for anybody?

Teach your children respect, and they’ll be respectful. Teach them love, and they’ll be loving. Teach them tolerance, and they’ll be tolerant toward others. Teach them to be kind, and the doors of this world will fling open in their presence.

Questions

1. Do you believe children are born with the ability to be selfless? Or is that trait learned? If so, how?

2. How do children learn to love?

3. How do children learn to appreciate their loved ones? Do you believe that just happens naturally?

4. Is it important that your children learn to love others more than themselves? Why or why not?

5. Are you teaching your child to love well or poorly? How?

6. What role does love play in teaching our children to respect the relationships they are in, including their relationships with us?