By the time our kids are around four years old they'll be able to begin differentiating between socially desirable and undesirable behavior. At this point they'll start recognizing which kids they like (or don't like) to be around.

This doesn’t mean that we begin teaching them when they turn four. Rather it means that the behavior that we either confront or condone up until that point will play a role in their long-term socialization.

Believe it or not, kids will respect parents who are both loving and firm. Kids will respect parents who understand their authority and use it to set limits and standards. By default kids are selfish and immature, and they'll need our help growing out of those childish tendencies.

In this episode we discussed the importance of intentionally helping our kids sort out the difference between socially desirable and undesirable behavior, and how to use our authority lead and serve them well.