In my current wise mid-life stage, I’ve begun to realize how often we said no to our children, or disciplined them with a spank or gave them time-out. Although helpful, this was NOT the key to their training. It was actually the example we lived daily. I know I read this before, it just didn’t quite sink in.
Every single moment seemed sooo important to me to teach a lesson… 🤔 I may have taught my kids to death! Yet even in that mild insanity they picked up that I took parenting seriously. It was my 24/7 job and I did not want to fail.
In reality, everything we did was being watched. Our habits imprinted on our children’s hearts and became like a code. They were gleaning from our repetitive attitudes and actions. We can see it play-out on repeat as they begin to parent their own babies.
Of course there’s plenty of room for their own life experience and natural bent, but David and I see the gist of what we did with them… from years long ago. Funny and cool and mystifying.
Training up a child is so much more about attitude than I imagined.
My attitude toward their dad mattered. His attitude toward me mattered. Our attitude about having all of them close together. How we reacted to the mess and happy chaos that came… the sometimes lack of funds, old car/new car, shared rooms, hard work, illness, even death of loved ones. Our overall attitude made a difference.
Why should I be surprised that The Creator of everything Who never wastes anything, didn’t waste this either! He has used our hearts desire for Him more than any individual teaching. Oh, it just makes me love God more through the whole process – with each passing year and each new person that comes into our mix. God is good!
ForGlorySake! -Anna
