Lately parenting has not been a walk in the park. Lately there has been a lot of strife in our home between all of the children. Even 18 month old Katie gets in on the action by pestering 3 year old Erich. How does she do this? By getting in his face, trying to kiss him while he's screaming "NOOOOO" or laying her head on him or taking his favorite stuffed animal and then running when he comes close. Yah... even SHE can cause troubles.
So I've been frustrated, to say the least. All the bickering, snotty talk, even hitting (which is very unlike my children) has broken the straw on the camel's back and I struggle with why. I decided that I could revert to punitive parenting and see if that would just stop the actions, but then realized what does that teach them? Obviously whatever is bothering my children is a heart issue. I cannot change their hearts by spanking them. I cannot change their hearts by taking away video games and sending them to their rooms. It boils down to the fact that nothing that *I* do CAN change their hearts. They have to choose to change their hearts. Sure, a spanking would get them to control themselves (when they around me anyway), but it really doesn't teach them anything other than how to be more sneaky about being naughty.... or like my brother likes to say "how not to get caught."
Parenting needs to work from the inside out... we must work on their hearts and then it will show on the outside. So I need to work on their insides. I need to listen when they need to talk. I need to help them to hear themselves when they start talking in a mean way so that they can recognize it and stop it in it's tracks. I need to keep talking to them about being pleasing to the Lord and most of all show them in my actions what that means. Life has been stressful in the past year and lately it has come out in my wanting to be by myself a lot and not interacting with the children as much as I should ... and certainly not all in a positive way. So I guess what it boils down to is me changing my insides in order to help them change their insides....
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Ok... a not so deep subject!!
We placed an offer on an awesome house. It was rejected even tho it was only $5000 less than the asking price.
The day after we placed an offer on that house another house came on the market in the town I really wanted to be in. I was a little disappointed, but figured that wherever the Lord wants us is where we'll be. Anyway... we decided to look at it after the other offer was rejected. It needs remodeling for sure, but the structure is good & it is liveable the way it is. :) It has 1.5 acres w/ a big pond that has wildlife in it (an otter was swimming when we got there there... there were also ducks & of course, frogs) The house has 4 bedrooms, an art room, a laundry room, a family room, a living room, a kitchen, & a dining room. It's a late 1800's home.
Now we wait... and see. I hope they accept our offer and all this goes through... but I guess I should just keep praying that God's will be done.
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