Are You Putting Your Kid in a Box?

Writing today in The Huffington Post, NFI President Roland Warren considers what happens when parents dream the wrong dreams for their children--and what parents should be dreaming for their kids. 

From "score the winning goal" to "rocking," the Green's get what they wish for; except their dreams may not be reality! As Roland points out, "The film reminds us that while the pull for us parents may be irresistible, we have to refrain from defining our children before we know who they are. Dreaming up the next football star or great novelist may be entertaining, but there are more important things in which we should place our hopes and dreams."

Roland continues, "This is especially true for dads. Dads, and men in general, tend to focus on what others do rather than who they are. Rather than focusing on what we want our children to be, we should be focused on how we want them to 'be.'"

Disney delivers an inspirational message in the way only Disney can. Cindy and Jim ultimately discover that "a child will always be better and more interesting than anything you can dream up," as Roland reminds us.

Roland encourages parents in his article, "Don't put your child in a box. Don't dream up skills and things that are seen and can therefore be contained. Instead, dream and model the unseen, like character, values and respect."

This is a great reminder for any parent, but especially busy dads. We need the reminder to focus, as Roland writes, on "...cherishing our children, no matter what." Thank you, Disney, for that reminder! 

The new family film from Disney arrives in theaters today. Read the full Huffington Post article by Roland and learn more about The Odd Life of Timothy Green.