Foolishness Bound Up
Brianne and Titus were here today so Jen could remember who she was and actually think while she ran some errands. A necessary breath of fresh air for any mom once in a while.
Brianne and Noah haven't been getting along too well lately. *Ahem*. This is because Brianne has moved past the age where she didn't mind if someone took a toy away from her. HA! Prior to Brianne obtaining a sense of justice, she and Noah got along beautifully! Noah would proceed to play with any toy he wanted, regardless of whether or not it was in Brianne's hands at the time, and she would watch it happen without incident. Noah was the only selfish one in the bunch. :)
However.
Having now two equally selfish preschoolers attempting to play together immediately turns the grown-up in charge into the Referee. Complete with zebra-striped jersey and a whistle! I'm contemplating giving Jen such an outfit for Christmas. Kidding. Sort of.
The whistle sounds. Pfweeeet!!! "Holding. Noah Rowley. Five-yard penalty. Sit on your OWN cushion and keep your hands to yourself!"
I'm going to relate the following story to you; not to point out and glamorize the sins of my child, but to (1) remind myself that you don't have to teach children to be sinful, and (2) so that I can look back on these events years from now and hopefully see how far the Lord's grace has taken Noah.
Hopefully, Lord-willing.
I also want to note that I relate this story with permission from Jen, whose child had a (very very small) part in what happened today.
Noah and Brianne were watching a video in the living room while I was sorting through yard sale stuff. Noah called to me and said that Brianne had just hit him. I walked into the room and asked Brianne if she had hit Noah. She said yes, so I gave Brianne a warning, telling her that discipline would follow if she hit Noah again. I walked by the living room about a minute later to witness the following:
Noah, about 6 inches away from Brianne, taunting her: "Do you want to hit me, Brianne? Do you want to hit me?"
I.
Couldn't.
Believe it.
Noah wanted to get Brianne in trouble! Not only that, he was trying to get Brianne in trouble! On purpose.
For the record, Brianne obeyed and didn't hit him. I'm sure it took every ounce of her two-year-old self not to take him up on his offer with all that obnoxiousness exuding from him. I commenced to explain to Noah all the things the Bible says about being a provoker and how it's a sin to try to get others to do wrong, etc etc.
All I can say is that God knows the minds and hearts of three-year-olds!! "Foolishness is bound up the heart of a child..." He says in Prov 22:15. Correction is the only thing that will drive it away.
May God give me the consistency and grace to be a good parent!
Brianne and Noah haven't been getting along too well lately. *Ahem*. This is because Brianne has moved past the age where she didn't mind if someone took a toy away from her. HA! Prior to Brianne obtaining a sense of justice, she and Noah got along beautifully! Noah would proceed to play with any toy he wanted, regardless of whether or not it was in Brianne's hands at the time, and she would watch it happen without incident. Noah was the only selfish one in the bunch. :)
However.
Having now two equally selfish preschoolers attempting to play together immediately turns the grown-up in charge into the Referee. Complete with zebra-striped jersey and a whistle! I'm contemplating giving Jen such an outfit for Christmas. Kidding. Sort of.
The whistle sounds. Pfweeeet!!! "Holding. Noah Rowley. Five-yard penalty. Sit on your OWN cushion and keep your hands to yourself!"
I'm going to relate the following story to you; not to point out and glamorize the sins of my child, but to (1) remind myself that you don't have to teach children to be sinful, and (2) so that I can look back on these events years from now and hopefully see how far the Lord's grace has taken Noah.
Hopefully, Lord-willing.
I also want to note that I relate this story with permission from Jen, whose child had a (very very small) part in what happened today.
Noah and Brianne were watching a video in the living room while I was sorting through yard sale stuff. Noah called to me and said that Brianne had just hit him. I walked into the room and asked Brianne if she had hit Noah. She said yes, so I gave Brianne a warning, telling her that discipline would follow if she hit Noah again. I walked by the living room about a minute later to witness the following:
Noah, about 6 inches away from Brianne, taunting her: "Do you want to hit me, Brianne? Do you want to hit me?"
I.
Couldn't.
Believe it.
Noah wanted to get Brianne in trouble! Not only that, he was trying to get Brianne in trouble! On purpose.
For the record, Brianne obeyed and didn't hit him. I'm sure it took every ounce of her two-year-old self not to take him up on his offer with all that obnoxiousness exuding from him. I commenced to explain to Noah all the things the Bible says about being a provoker and how it's a sin to try to get others to do wrong, etc etc.
All I can say is that God knows the minds and hearts of three-year-olds!! "Foolishness is bound up the heart of a child..." He says in Prov 22:15. Correction is the only thing that will drive it away.
May God give me the consistency and grace to be a good parent!
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