Parenting: Excellence

My 7 yo son has a fairly good understanding of Christian doctrine for his age. He knows that Christ died for us because none of us are perfect.

Though he has craftily learned to use this to his own advantage. When he is trouble he responds "well nobody is perfect". When he is charged with being lazy he responds in the same way.

I recently gave him a talk about the difference between 'Perfection' and 'Excellence', and told him that in our family we strive for Excellence.

This has given me an opportunity to let him know that it is my job to get him from where he is now to s that standard of Excellence—and that it is Jesus job to get him from there to Perfection!