Homeschooling mom to be.

Revelation.

I was reading my sermon notes the other day, and came across the verse that says "A soft answer turneth away wrath".  I've always applied that to speaking with other adults.  But I realized how dumb I was, like getting hit in the head with a brick....it echoed with a big resounding 'DUH!"  I've been butting heads with my three-year-old.  Anyone who has kids that age or older know this is nothing profoundly surprising or fascinatingly new.  But I realized that I get really impatient with her when she fails to respond the way she's been taught, or she lashes out at me because she's frustrated.  Here's where the "duh" comes in.  I show my impatience with her, and it makes her frustrated!!!!!

Isn't that an amazing find?  Aren't you glad I solved all problems involving two- and three-year-olds?  Simply answer them softly and gently, and "poof" all your temper tantrums and yelling matches will go away!  Ok, that's exaggerating a wee bit.  But it does make a huge difference.  I think in a way, I expected that because they were my children, they somehow inherited some of the teaching my parents gave me.  That would have to be a fascinatingly new medical discovery!  But it's true, for some reason I always knew that other "troubled" children just needed some love and discipline, but I expected my children to fill their brains by absorption or something equally non-viable!  So now that I have a big red brick mark with "duh" imprinted on my forehead, I'll get right to work speaking softly and gently at my children, which I'm sure will always happen, and just come naturally......duh.

Mama J.

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11:50 AM, Jun. 10, 2008 .. Posted by PinkFlamingo

Haha, don't you love getting hit with those "DUH" lessons?! That is a good reminder though, and applies probably just as much to us older siblings as to parents. Thanks for sharing!! That's something I need to remember.
Hope you all are having a great week!
~Ashley

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2:41 PM, Jun. 10, 2008 .. Posted by SandBetweenMyToes

LOL. Welcome to our "duh" world. HA. I see my oldest daughter is right there with us.....well, I already knew that! It's amazing that after 21 1/2 years of being a parent, there are some days that that verse still hits me with a big ole "DUH". My younger two have such "fiery" personalities that it has been like starting over. I really have to work on that gentle answer some days.....umm...like today.
Oh, and the other one....."The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God". James 1: something!
Letitia