As a parent, are you a closet perfectionist? Are you demanding unreachable standards from your kids?

Recently I asked a group of kids about their experience. Many of them were raised by moms and dads who demanded perfection.

One student said this to me: “The world of chaos I created with mom and dad was far easier to manage than living up to their standard of perfection.” Another kid said this: “My parents are more concerned about the cleanliness of my bathroom than the condition of my heart.”

Those are hard words to hear.

Is this a wake up call for you? Maybe it’s time to relax a little, quit offering lectures on cleanliness, and begin paying attention to your child’s heart. Before it’s too late.

If you listen on a mobile phone or tablet, please download our Parenting Today’s Teens app available for Apple or Android. If you listen on a desktop or laptop computer, press the “play” button above to enjoy daily parenting advice.