Like a Worry Jar (See Here), a Grievance Jar is simply a jar containing grievances that have been written on a piece of paper. Some families have a set time for dealing with the jar’s contents—the end of each day or a set day of the week.
I used to think that listening to children’s complaints undermined parental authority. It was also unbiblical.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among who you shine as lights in the world.
Philippians 2:14-15 (ESV)
However, there is a significant difference between grumbling in anger and frustration and thoughtfully expressing a real or imagined wrong.
Along the way, I learned that understanding what my children considered to be unjust was a key to praying for them and helping their hearts. How could I solve a problem if it remained hidden?
Parents easily lose their children’s hearts in the older years. I wish I had developed a systematic way to address my sons’ grievances.
What about your own complaints?
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