My guess is that it's just another of the many experiments of childhood, like the screaming fits phase, or the "let's see how many spankings I can get in one day" phase, or the "I'd rather die than let my parents make me go to bed" phase.
I'm hoping this one ends soon, but I suspect it won't be long before another phase takes its place. I guess with 1 or 2 kids one might have a time when none of their children were in a difficult phase. I don't recall having had such a time recently.
Actually, that brings me back to my first sentence. I wonder, how badly am I messing my children up? I have no doubts that some of my mistakes will leave irreparable scars. I just wonder how deep those scars will be. Most of the time I feel pretty optimistic. I have great kids and for the most part they like me. We usually have fun together.
But then at times I think about what God wants for my kids. I think about His dreams for them. I am doing a terrible job of being like God. Every day I make mistakes that skew their perspective on what life really should be like. In a time of reflection last night I felt again the desperation of parenthood.
So today I prayed more, and I took all the movies out of my 5 disk DVD changer then loaded it with 5 CDs of the Bible. It played all day long in our playroom. I didn't make anybody listen to it, but I wouldn't let them turn it off. I think I'll do it again tomorrow. And I think I'll spend some more time praying tonight.
I'd better go help my older son first. He and his sister are having to clean up the kitchen. He's lying on the kitchen floor crying. It's the third time in the last 15 minutes that he's had a serious injury that has incapacitated him. My sense is that he needs a stronger work ethic. Anybody know how to give a kid one of those?
3 comments:
I'm laughing with you, brother! I want to know the answer to the work ethic question and also how do you grow kids who don't cry every time they get a little scratch or bump?
We heard a guy named Scott McKnight at the Zoe Conference who has made it his habit to quote the "Jesus Creed" as many times a day as he can. (Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor...) I love this idea. Now we're trying to get in the habit with our kids. And it gives me an idea for Christmas!
thank you for this post. I feel like this all the time and its nice to know Im not alone! all we can do is pray, and trust that His grace will cover our mistakes and bring good to our children, and glory to Him in the end. He is good!
You just wrote exactly how I've been feeling. It's good to know that I am not the only one. Right now, I don't have a child that cries at every bump and scratch, but maybe that is because I only have one.
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