As Ansley is getting older she is becoming more responsible. We have not always been big on giving her "chores" sure we ask her to do things but we really don't have a chore list. So one of the new things I do ask her to do much more often and with out help is to clean her room. Yesterday she did not want to go clean her room, and to be honest I really didn't feel like fighting a battle with her. So instead of getting up and making her march into her room and demand she clean it up or she would get a spanking.... (which I personally believe if you say if you don't do such and such then you are getting a ..... then it is the same as counting to three... which I think is completely lame and your kid is still semi-getting their way, unfortunately I "count to three" quiet often, and there is a book out called "don't make me count to three" this book has been recommended to me and I should probably buy it...) So back to my story of my laziness and not wanting to "battle" with my toddler.. Instead of "counting to three" I just said okay Ansley when I go in your room I will pick up everything in your floor and put into a basket, then I will donate it to little kids that do not have toys. I thought this was pretty smart but before I could say anything to Dustin (who was sitting beside me) about how clever that was. Ansley loos at me and says "Mommy, Where is the Basket?" I told her she ran and got it and started putting her Toys in it... She was so proud when she came and told me that she had her toys ready to go to other kids.. These were not her old broken toys either, they were new, one was even one of her new favorite baby dolls she had just been playing with the day before...
What a slap in the face to me. Was I beginning to teach my child to be selfish by threatening her with her things?? Thank Go d she didn't take it that way, and Thank You God that you showed me to teach my children to be more selfless than selfish!! I assure you all that I will be thinking more about my actions in the future.
-Mary Beth
What a slap in the face to me. Was I beginning to teach my child to be selfish by threatening her with her things?? Thank Go d she didn't take it that way, and Thank You God that you showed me to teach my children to be more selfless than selfish!! I assure you all that I will be thinking more about my actions in the future.
-Mary Beth
I'm reading "To Train Up a Child." right now. I told Jenny we should pass it around. :) It's by Michael and Debi Pearl. He says in the book that the Bible says..."to TRAIN a child, not to BEAT a child." He's not discounting spankings at all. As a matter of fact a nice pop is what is used to help train the child. But I like the idea of my children being trained to do what I say, even when I say it in a calm voice.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love the innocence and the way God uses them to teach us too. I love that little girl.
Mary Beth, this story is so amazing it is almost unbelievable! ;-) Just kidding. Miracles do happen. Precious story.
ReplyDeleteLJ