“They're just kids.”

How often have you heard that phrase used to excuse disrespect, poor behavior, or a lack of responsibility?

But what if that common parenting excuse is actually limiting what our children are capable of becoming?

In Episode 170 of High Performance Parenting, Greg and Jacquie Francis continue their conversation about The Lies Parents Believe by challenging the idea that children are too young to learn respect, responsibility, leadership, and self-discipline.

Being young may explain a child's behavior, but it doesn't mean parents should stop teaching them.

Greg and Jacquie share practical examples from raising their six children, including how they taught their kids to introduce themselves, follow expectations at birthday parties, behave in stores, contribute to the household, and take ownership of their actions.

They also share how their daughters Crissy and Ellie have grown in confidence by learning to lead, speak up, solve problems, and take on challenges.

Ellie's story is especially powerful. Once accustomed to having older siblings speak for her, she developed confidence through running her own business, where she learned customer service, sales, handling rejection, and communicating with others.

Greg and Jacquie remind parents that setting expectations isn't about demanding perfection.

It's about believing your children are capable of learning, growing, and taking responsibility.

“When you're teaching your kids responsibility, it isn't punishment, it's preparation.”

And as children learn to accomplish difficult things, solve problems, and contribute value, they develop something that compliments alone can't provide: genuine confidence.

Are we setting expectations that prepare our children for adulthood, or making excuses that keep them comfortable?

Subscribe and share this episode with another parent who wants to raise responsible, capable, confident kids.

#HighPerformanceParenting #ChristianParenting #RaisingResponsibleKids #IntentionalParenting #ParentingAdvice

• (00:00) - The Parenting Excuse: “They're Just Kids”
• (01:17) - Children Rise to Expectations
• (02:32) - Teaching Social Skills Early
• (03:01) - Setting Expectations Before Outings
• (04:02) - Responsibility and Privileges
• (04:56) - Correcting Behavior and Following Through
• (05:55) - Ownership, Contribution, and Leadership
• (06:23) - Teaching Kids to Stand Out
• (07:08) - Confidence Comes From Competence
• (07:44) - Elli's Journey From Shy to Confident
• (08:14) - How Entrepreneurship Builds Confidence
• (10:21) - Different Children, Different Needs
• (10:48) - Communicating Household Expectations
• (12:09) - Everyone Must Contribute
• (13:07) - Why Low Expectations Limit Growth
• (13:52) - Responsibility Is Preparation
• (14:22) - Confidence Follows Competence
• (14:52) - Give Your Child a New Responsibility

When your child experiences failure, disappointment, or rejection, what's your first instinct?

Do you step in and fix it? Make excuses? Try to make the pain disappear?

Or do you help them learn how to overcome it?

In Episode 169 of High Performance Parenting, Greg and Jacquie Francis continue their conversation about one of the biggest lies parents believe: that our children's happiness should always come first.

This week, they share two real-life parenting experiences.

First, they revisit their daughter Bella's costly driving mistake and explain how they helped her find a solution while still allowing her to take financial responsibility.

Then they share what happened when their 14-year-old son Druce tried out for his high school golf team—and didn't make it.

Druce was naturally talented. He loved golf. But when the pressure of competitive tryouts arrived, his performance fell apart.

As parents, Greg and Jacquie watched their normally outgoing son become quiet and deeply disappointed.

They faced a difficult choice: protect him from the pain, make excuses for what happened, or allow the experience to teach him something he couldn't learn simply by being told.

And what Druce did next surprised them.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why parents need to gradually stop removing obstacles as children mature
• How to support kids through disappointment without rescuing them
• Why natural talent isn't enough without preparation and mental toughness
• How failure can become motivation for meaningful growth
• What to say when your child doesn't make the team
• Why making excuses can prevent kids from taking ownership
• How to teach resilience and perseverance through real experiences
• The difference between protecting children and preparing them for adulthood
• How faith, prayer, and personal responsibility work together
• A powerful question to ask when your child faces a difficult challenge

Greg and Jacquie remind parents that their job isn't to raise children who never experience pain or disappointment.

It's to raise adults who know how to overcome it.

🎙️ Watch Episode 169 of High Performance Parenting and join Greg and Jacquie as they help families raise champion children in a crazy world.

QUESTION: Are you preparing your kids for life, or protecting them from life?

Subscribe and share this episode with a parent who needs encouragement to let their children grow through life's challenges.

#HighPerformanceParenting #ChristianParenting #RaisingResilientKids #ParentingTeens #IntentionalParenting

• (00:00) - Are You Removing Every Obstacle?
• (00:29) - Intro
• (01:11) - When to Stop Rescuing Your Kids
• (01:56) - Preparing Teens for Responsibility
• (02:35) - Bella's Accident: The Outcome
• (03:29) - Drew's Competitive Golf Tryouts
• (05:34) - When Talent Meets Pressure
• (06:51) - Drew Doesn't Make the Team
• (07:42) - Why Mental Toughness Matters
• (09:02) - How Parents Should Respond to Failure
• (10:09) - Drew's Decision to Try Again
• (11:00) - Why Some Lessons Must Be Experienced
• (12:04) - Learning From Previous Setbacks
• (13:25) - Are You Rescuing Too Early?
• (13:59) - Preparing Kids for Life vs. Protecting Them
• (15:20) - Comfort Is a Terrible Teacher

Every parent wants their children to be happy. But what if making happiness your biggest parenting goal is actually holding your kids back?

In Episode 168 of High Performance Parenting, Greg and Jacquie Francis launch a new conversation about The Lies Parents Believe, beginning with one of the most common beliefs in parenting:

“I just want my kids to be happy.”

Happiness isn't a bad thing. But when parents constantly remove obstacles, prevent discomfort, and rescue their children from consequences, they may also remove opportunities to develop responsibility, resilience, maturity, and character.

Greg and Jacquie share a real experience involving their daughter Bella, who accidentally backed the family van into another vehicle.

One mistake. A few seconds. Potentially thousands of dollars in repairs.

Suddenly, Bella faced the possibility that an entire year's worth of work and savings could go toward correcting a mistake.

As parents, Greg and Jacquie wanted to make the problem disappear. But they recognized that this was an opportunity to teach something far more valuable than comfort.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why happiness can become the wrong compass for parenting
• The difference between temporary pleasure and lasting purpose
• Why comfort doesn't automatically develop character
• How to teach kids to take responsibility for costly mistakes
• What parents should do when their children face consequences
• How to respond calmly instead of reacting emotionally
• Why honesty and integrity matter when nobody is watching
• How to support children without removing their obstacles
• Why financial responsibility is an important life lesson
• How to prepare kids for adulthood before they leave home

Greg and Jacquie also share how their family prayed together, worked through the situation, and helped Bella begin researching repair options while taking ownership of what happened.

The goal isn't to raise children who never experience discomfort. It's to raise capable young adults who know how to respond when life gets difficult.

Sometimes the most loving thing a parent can do is walk beside their child through a difficult lesson instead of making it disappear.

🎙️ Listen to Episode 168 of High Performance Parenting and join Greg and Jacquie as they help families raise champion children in a crazy world.

Subscribe, like, and share this episode with another parent who wants to raise responsible, resilient, confident kids.

#HighPerformanceParenting #ChristianParenting #ParentingMistakes #RaisingResilientKids #IntentionalParenting

• (00:00) - A Mistake That Could Cost a Year's Earnings
• (00:54) - Intro
• (01:36) - Family Vacation and Celebrations
• (04:45) - The Lies Parents Believe
• (05:09) - Is Happiness the Wrong Parenting Goal?
• (06:51) - Why Comfort Doesn't Build Character
• (07:50) - Bella's Costly Driving Mistake
• (09:23) - Teaching Financial Responsibility
• (10:21) - Choosing Honesty After an Accident
• (11:20) - Responding Calmly to Your Child's Mistakes
• (13:40) - Walking Through Consequences Together
• (14:26) - The True Cost of a Three-Second Mistake
• (15:56) - Letting Kids Take Ownership
• (17:24) - Why Parents Must Resist Removing Obstacles