IHM Conference - Fr. Swink on Navy Seal Parenting

On the first day of IHM's 2011 conference, we went to hear Fr. Larry Swink discuss Navy Seal parenting. As the first speaker of the conference, he set a great tone! Fr. Swink was very good, engaging the audience and getting some laughs. My husband and 4 kids all agreed, we enjoyed him.

I tried to take notes and tweet from the room but the connection wouldn't send it through. I did take notes and was charmed to see that my youngest son was doing so also!

Here are mine....

S.E.A.L. parenting

Seek ye first the Kingdom, the Sacraments. Mass, confession, pray the rosary or you're effectively saying it's NOT important to you....You make sure you eat......are you up early to exercise, too?

Engage - Listen. The family meal is a time to listen and then he cited the research I posted HERE. Children can not see partiality. Parents must engage and listen to them, present to the moment both to teach and to have fun.

Avoid compromise - Don't be inconsistent in your follow through....make modesty important for your daughters and he recommended the book Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker. Don't neglect your children.

Quoting St. Jose Maria Escriva, he related his advise to not give your children unbridled freedom, or pay for everything so that they grow up with a sense of entitlement. Don't take their side always, when they are wrong they need to face the music. Rather, instill values of sobriety, accountability and austerity. If they can say no to little things, you've prepared them to say no to big things.

Father related that many families shut themselves off to children with the belief that they have to pay for their college. Father said children won't miss class and drink their way through college, if they make it through at all, if they have to earn it. Learning to fend for yourself at 18 is appropriate.

The immorality of much of what's on TV and available via the computer was also discussed and related to the quote from Mother Theresa that TV is the tabernacle of Satan. There can be much good in both of these mediums but again, not to let their uses be unbridled.

Finally, L, for Learning and to learn the importance of your marriage. To not fight in frontof the children and to make time for each other and to keep romance alive.

And here, at his first conference, are my 9 year old son's notes:

IHM Speech Father Swink's speech

He loves navy seals

And here's what he thinks seals stands for S= sacrament E= engage A= avoid compromise L= learn

He's my favorite speech

After he was done everybody claped so much it was like a goal horn exept even louder it was nuts he so far is my favorite speech.

sent from my iPod touch

About Father Swink, from the IHM Speakers brochure - "Fr. Larry Swink was born on Midway Island (in U.S. territory), the oldest of 10 children. A graduate of the University of Dallas, he earned his degree in Political Philosophy. Before joining the Immaculate Conception seminary in 2001, he worked for Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor for 2 and a half years. In May of 2006, he was ordained a priest of the Washington Archdiocese. At the 2010 Right to Life March, he gave the homily to over 10,000 Catholics. He is currently associate pastor at Saint Pius X Church in Bowie, Maryland. In his spare time, Father enjoys the outdoors: He is a cyclist, plays basketball, and enjoys hiking and snowboarding… as well as anything that includes a ball or a stick!"