The defining feature of this parenting life is how much stuff goes wrong. Plans dash to pieces. Your kids change their mind. They get hurt, stuff comes up, stuff gets cancelled. If you’re an anxious person, a stressed person, a fragile person, this stuff will kill you. 

If you haven’t heard the famous Jocko Willink “Good” speech, you should listen to it as soon as you have a chance. Because his Navy SEAL mentality doesn’t just apply to warfare, it doesn’t just apply to entrepreneurship or leadership. It is also a prescription for parenting. In fact, we might easily adapt to some of the daily troubles we face as parents day in and day out. 

Oh, my kid woke up sick this morning? GOOD, we’ll spend the day at home together. 

The takeout order cancelled last minute? GOOD, we’ll have dinner for breakfast. 

You caught your kid lying? GOOD, now you have an opportunity to talk about honesty. 

Pulled over for speeding? GOOD, show your kids how you handle owning a mistake.

Business in trouble? GOOD, talk to them about grace under pressure. 

Flight delayed? GOOD, have fun in the airport as a family. 

Traffic? GOOD, you get more time with them.

They are struggling in math class? GOOD, time for you to brush up on your algebra.Your kids are counting on you. You don’t get to despair. There’s no time to complain. No one is going to come take this problem off your hands. It’s on you. It’s what you were given by fate or chance, and now you’ve got to work with it. You’ve got to make something of it. You have to make it good…for them.