Duck Dynasty’s Korie Robertson Talks Parenting

CHARACTER MATTERS

When Korie was growing up, her dad started a tradition during every family vacation. At some point during vacation, the family would talk through a list of values on a list. “These values were based on the Bible and truths that we, as a family, wanted to keep in the forefront of our minds,” says Korie. The kids weren’t always excited about sitting down and going through the list, but Korie says her dad always insisted. “For that, I am now grateful,” she says.

Growing up, Willie and Korie’s families used different methods to instill values in their kids, but the character traits both families instilled were from their mutual faith in God. Korie and Willie were married young (she was 21 and Willie was 23), but they always knew that they wanted to pass down a legacy of positive, healthy values. One day, Korie was sitting with a circle of women in a Bible study when the question was raised: “What are two important character traits that you want to see in your children?” Korie was already the mom of 2 toddlers and working part-time as the children’s minister at their church. That night the first 2 words that came to Korie’s mind were strong and kind. “If our children grew up to be strong and kind adults, I figured we would have been successful in our role as parents,” she says. She decided on strong because this world isn’t easy. She reminds us that life will offer a myriad of disappointments so Korie wanted her kids to be strong to get through tough times. She shares that the Bible is full of encouraging verses for us to be strong.

Korie also wanted her kids to grow up kind because kindness is all about being thoughtful, loving and gentle with others even though they don’t deserve it, and showing compassion to the hurting. After voicing her desire in that Bible study to instill those two traits in their children, Korie took her requests to God. “I started praying that Willie and I would be able to teach our children these things – that we would raise strong, kind kids who would become strong, kind adults,” says Korie. God spoke to Korie clearly: “Then live it.” Korie started praying that they, as parents, would be role models for their kids so they wouldn’t hear empty words, but would see the fruit of those character traits in their hearts.

LIVING IT OUT

Korie says to pick 2 traits you want for your children. “Once you determine the traits that are important to your family, then you have to live like it,” she says. “You can’t pick courage and then not allow your kids to walk out the door for fear something bad will happen to them. You have to live courageously even if you’re scared,” says Korie. There are so many good character traits. “It’s about instilling values in your kids,” she says. “You have to be intentional about it.” One thing that has worked in their household is choosing a character trait that they want to work on and being intentional about it for a week. They talk about it in the car and pray about it at night. For example, if sharing is a problem for your child, then make that the focus. Teach the art of sharing and make sure you give them plenty of positive reinforcement when you see them doing it.

Korie admits that implementation is the hardest part of being intentional. “The success of your plan is directly correlated to the strength of your commitment and the clarity of your goal,” she says. Korie co-wrote her book, Strong and Kind, with her mom. Chrys Howard is the author of several books. She and her husband, John, started a publishing company called Howard Publishing, which was later bought by Simon and Schuster. The Howards live next door to Korie and Willie. “When I decided to do a book on parenting, I asked her to come along with me,” says Korie. “We do everything in life together.”