Several of my friends from college are about to have their first kiddos. Trey and I have been attending a Sunday School class on childrearing based off the book Loving Obedience in the hopes of one day having our first (and second and third and fourth and, heck, maybe fifth and sixth!).
So I have been thinking about childrearing a bit more than usual. And just now I was thinking about public displays of nastiness, as I know must happen. I am going to have a huge struggle learning to discipline my kids for reasons other than my embarrassment. I don't want to teach them that "you can't do that because it embarrasses Mommy." I want them to learn to honor God, not make Mommy feel good about herself (because that will ultimately end in failure, and I don't want to set my kids up for that kind of failure). How does one do that when one is in a public place and Child #3 is making a spectacle of himself? I hope that I am able to sacrifice my own comfort and "reputation" to do what is best for my child's growth in grace (ha! you can tell that I haven't had to deal with kids much, can't you? I know I am very idealistic, but my God is a powerful, awesome, and gracious God; and He sanctifies me!). Does it mean you drop everything and deal with the issue? Does it mean you remove yourself and child (and possibly all the other kids, too), leaving your errand or meal or whatever unfinished, to deal with the issue?
Maybe further classes in Sunday school will deal with stuff like this. So far, we have been learning about feeding love-hunger in kids, and learning to identify and verbally appreciate things our kids do right (rather than just pointing out what they do wrong). Trey and I have been practicing on each other for the meantime. It really is wonderful to learn to notice what is good rather than dwelling so much on the things that are bad. There is so much good out there in the middle of the wickedness (because! God is a powerful, awesome, and gracious God; and He blesses us!).
Anyway, that's what I was thinking about at work today.
8 comments:
Thanks for the reminder to look for the good. Why is it that looking for the bad is so much easier?!
You can always let the grandparents tell you how to do it ; )
scary scary topic. for practical behavioral management techniques i recommend watching super nanny.
I love you, Hilary. Let's have some babies!
And there is a good chance they WILL test you & Trey
i'm only mysterious because certain people read my blog that I don't want to talk to about it :-) but you're not one of them so maybe I'll call you this weekend.
Next weekend is my birthday and my brother is going to be in town but I'm sure I can see you if I make a point of it...And I REALLY want to!!! :-)
so hurray!!
and...i love you and miss you.
just make sure to spank them frequently
no n8 is wrong. Beat the fear of God into them. Or at least make them fear you, it worked well for me;)
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