Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Playing Catch Up With Changing Children

My children are changing all the time. That's actually what I loves about parenting and homeschooling.  One day little is all about senses and the older is all about building, the next day, the little is all about drawing and the older needs to be reminded to be kind.   

And by schooling them too, I am very in tune with where they are at emotionally and mentally. 



Every single day is a new adventure.

Adventure...or challengeCan I get an 'Amen!'?

Usually I am a few days behind on these sorts of things. This is how it usually works:

Child is emotional and whiny. Mother raises eyebrow at child. 
Child continues to be emotional and whiny.  Mother ignores it.  
Child continues with his chosen behavior.  Mother becomes irritated.  
Child reaches a fever pitch, mother disciplines.  
Two days later...Mother realizes something is going on.

So recently I realized that my 7 year old is going through a maturity shift.  The chores and expectations that I once thought were too mature for him, suddenly seem to be just what the doctor ordered.  

"No, YOU can choose your clothes and make your bed in the morning. No, YOU can clean up after yourself. No, son. YOU are able to get and make yourself chocolate milk."

But, guess what?  Kids aren't always eager to take on new responsibilities.  He liked it the way it was with me doing it all. (He's like that.)

Time for some growing up little buddy.

I say to my husband on night, "I am working on responsibility with little.  Can we have a talk with him tonight?"

So, that night we sat down and sort of laid our our new expectations.  We lovingly shared with him Ephesians 6:1 and  explained that we expected him to move forward with a happy heart.

(Now, don't get me started on the happy heart thing.  When I was a kid, that was never asked of me and I think if I had learned it much earlier on in my life, I would have been a better person for it. That 'happy heart' stuff is hard work!)

And this, my friends, is how growth starts around here.  Once mommy and daddy catch up to the plan, we set it out as the new standard and move forward. 

That sit-down conversation is so important because it gives the child a starting point. And, you are not saying it in the middle of a discipline-moment, so they don't tune you out. 

With prayer, this will move him forward in his maturation.

What will tomorrow bring?