And now a word to you parents. Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord Himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice.
Ephesians 6:1-4
Braxton / April 2010
Little Red Chief has been to the library again since my last post and hopefully, we'll go weekly or so from now on.
He finished his swimming lessons and gets to start another level at the beginning of next summer.
He is also out of routine, a blessed and angelic creature one hour and a devouring mini beast another and keeping up with him is an adventure at the total least.
We've raised four other kids to teenager and beyond and have helped with a LOT of nieces and nephews and had ages from 3 to 16 stay with us. I did childcare when our oldest three were little. That is at least a bit of experience, isn't it? Now, we are having a harder time with one seven year old than ALL the other ages, children, and visitors put together!
L.R.C. is smart. He is very, very intelligent and completely creative. He has a heart that refuses to watch Charlotte's Web because it is sad when Charlotte dies... feels sad when his favorite movie sequel (Toy Story 3) changes so the toys are no longer with their "boy" and he cannot stand it when happiness doesn't win out in the story. That last one ... he gets honestly from his mama!
Anyway, this child also can push every button, lever, knob, switch, and/or handle of a human's emotions to places they never knew existed. He can exasperate, wear out, wear thin, frustrate, upset, and emotionally torture the few who are in authority over him. His teenage sister is known by everyone who knows her as forgiving, sweet and for the most part... agreeable person. She has another side reserved just for her little brother. The problem is... no one can blame her bec/ one of his greatest joys is getting the most animated responses from her he can.
One tiny example is:
He knows she cannot stand for any bug, bird, or most other living things to die. She pleads with her dad to catch moths, spiders, and any other wandering insect or such and safely release them outside. Her youngest of four brothers rode with me on a usual day of picking her up after school and the second she climbed into the front seat, he yelled out in an excited voice from the back seat: "Guess what, LAUREN?! A grasshopper is SQUISHED and DEAD in our driveway!!!!!!"
Longest story in recent years finally making a point is . . . .
I am doing what I did close to (or over?) 20 years ago when our oldest three were babies and reading a book on parenting. I've read a few over the years but the one I remember making an instant impact and affecting me SO much for the good at once was James Dobson's, Dare to Discipline. I took back control, grabbed some of what I was afraid I'd start losing and held onto the wisdom found in it through anything else I read.
Fast forward to today and I am reading the same author's book: The Strong Willed Child and the first pages are already giving me hope. The other book I am sure to devour (a few pages in and I'm diving all the way) is: Dr. Keven Leman's: Making Children Mind without Losing Yours.
Sigh of relief.
God is guiding us with floating devices in the same sea of parenthood with different fish to bring in and He has the attached ropes to pull us in, too. Now, to not panic.... to keep afloat... to listen to instructions... and swim purposely back to the boat and eventually ... ride it back to the shore.
"Step to the plate and be a parent. Decide that your family is your most important calling and commit yourself to it. Take the job of caring for your kids. It won't be easy. It won't always be fun. But it will be worth it."
Dr. Kevin Leman
I'll let you know how it goes... if I am awake and alive.
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