I want you to take a look at something, I came across while I was in the middle of working on this post.  It is a video of an interview with a mom Melanie Griffith and her daughter Dakota Johnson, attending an awards ceremony for Dakota’s new movie.

http://oscar.go.com/video/2015-red-carpet/_m_VDKA0_n21zh98p

Is Dakota Artistic or Insolent? As you see in the video Dakota takes a tone, rolls her eyes, and curses off to the side, and it’s all directed towards her mother. Melanie states that she is proud of the actress her daughter has become. But, to see her in this movie would be “strange.” While the movie may show Dakota’s artistic expression, I believe her response to be insolent. And hearing about the content of the movie, I’d say Dakota took the role possibly to tick her parents off. However, we won’t rule out the paycheck as the main reason she took the role.

Watching this video, I can relate to both mother and daughter as I have starred in both roles. In Hollywood a person’s behavior could be contributed to their artistic side. There have been times in our own home I’ve stated that our kids could be movie stars when they are “acting up.” When one of them was really bad, I’d impishly say to Hubs “your child” and point my finger at him. Now that they are adults, Hubs and I like to play back and forth taking credit for how good they have turned out. In truth we played our roles good and bad, because we are not perfect parents, but ultimately their behavior is their choice.

More and more parents are finding themselves being blamed for the behavior of the child, teen, or young adult child and suffering with embarrassment.

Parents should never take on the sole responsibility of their child, teen or adult child’s behavior, good or bad. And people who are not parents should never look to blame or judge people who are parents. I bet we each know good parents whose kids went wild, and bad parents whose kids have done well. I can get stirred up over the blaming when I hear it, but I choose to not let it shake me, or I’ll be shaking the one running their mouth!

Parenting is never perfect, and free will is given to us all before we are born. This is where blame and guilt should remain.

How are you acting? Artistic or Insolent?

Join me….and keep our focus on our own role and re-evaluate what we do with our own free will.

Join me in prayer….”Father, we are all disobedient children and at times we use our free will badly, we ask your forgiveness. Help us to forgive others who judge us. Let us not carry guilt over our mistakes but help us strive to use our free will more wisely. We give you the glory and honor as you are the perfect, ultimate parent who loves us, and we thank you, in Jesus name Amen.”

Join me on the patio! If you have had a role in the parent/child relationship and would like to share, we’d love to read it! You never know but your experiences could be encouragement to us all.