I'm not feeling terribly introspective. Perhaps all the time I've spent reading my counseling textbook is making me afraid of what I'll find if I look inside my head too much. ;)
I haven't maintained my housekeeping goals. Oh well. The dust bunnies will still be there and everyone has clean clothes and dishes. So what if those Legos are still taking over and are having a party under the table with some Duplos (probably teaching them naughty things because they are for ages three and up, don't ya' know? ;) )
Speaking of "naughty"... The Husband said something to *I* about being naughty and *I* responded, "I'm not naughty, I'm nice." I decided that perhaps we needed to educate the child about the definitions of naughty and nice and pointed this out to the Husband. The Husband went on to explain that doing something you're told not to do is naughty. *I* laughed and said, "I'm a nice boy." I think perhaps we need to find ways to enhance his comprehension skills. :O He's cute as a button and so very spunky and spirited.
Back when our eldest son was this age, I remember having a conversation with his Sunday School teacher, a kind man who always gave the kids apple slices for snack. I took his advice very much to heart. He said, "You don't want to break his spirit." So my goal with each of my children is to help them live in polite society, do the right thing and nurture their individual, unique and sometimes very active spirits.
Spirit is a good thing, mostly. It just has to be used for good and not evil. ;) Hopefully, the Holy Spirit is acting in my life and the lives of the little people sharing my DNA...and in other people's lives too.
Praying for spirit and The Spirit to be at work in all of our lives.
-Peace
My son has my temperment (bless his heart) and has a stong-willed, stubborn streak. Our goal with him was always to teach him respect for authority, kindness for others, and to learn right from wrong, while trying to respect the personality God gave him. The flip-side to this strong will, was that he didn't have issues with peer-pressure in high school. If he didn't want to do something, he didn't. And if he did want to do something, he did. It took a lot of "micro-parenting" when he was little but well worth the effort through high school. Now as a college man, he's an amazing guy, solid and sure of his faith. I claim Prov 22:6 and remain grateful!!
ReplyDeleteHi there! Thanks for sharing your link on Moms Together. I love what you said here. It reminds me of a book I'm reading right now - The Spirited Child, by Mary Kurcinka. I've got some spunky, spirited kiddos like you :). I think by using those terms instead of negative ones, we welcome the Spirit into the moment instead of reinforcing the things that will break our kids' spirits.
ReplyDeleteGlad to meet you here. Looking forward to more!
Sounds like one of my boys too and it IS such a fine line between not wanting to squash his spirit and helping mold his spirit too!
ReplyDeleteEmily (from moms together)