On Parenting

In my previous post, I alluded to the fact that before we had kids I thought I had All The Answers about parenting and that now, well, I don't.  Our church has been offering a parenting class on Sunday afternoons, and it has been most eye-opening.  Embarrassing actually, as I mentally replay all our mistakes and shortcomings, which have conspicuously displayed themselves in my children's lives like the proverbial elephant in the room.  Large, smelly, and generally hard to ignore.  Funny how my mistakes make themselves evident in my kids' lives.

Today's lesson was on giving too many freedoms too early to children (called "parenting outside the funnel"), and then the little cherubs end up ruling the house and doing whatever it is they please.  I only heard bits and pieces of the lesson, because I was in the nursery with the littles, listening when I could on the speaker.  But in between refereeing squabbles (did you know it doesn't really matter who had it first?) and reading stories, I was convicted that we are guilty of parenting outside the funnel!  We have allowed far too many liberties in our children's lives.  I was busy pondering this truth toward the end of the session, when Seth picked up my purse, left the room, and rifled through it looking for something! That's. My purse. And I didn't dismiss you yet!  Case in point.

So, yeah.  We have a lot of uphill hard work ahead of us!  I'm thankful for God's grace, and thankful that just as He's not finished with me yet, I don't have to be done with my kids yet either.  And tomorrow's another day to try again in His strength.  Tomorrow ought to be interesting as we try to dislodge the notion from our kids' minds that they are in charge...  Stay tuned.

Comments

Marmee said…
I remember such revelations. Keep up the good work, it pays off. Also, God does answer prayer and is gracious in covering the mistakes in our parenting.
January 12, 2016 at 6:32 PM
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