Background:
My 4, almost 5 year old, son has been challenging recently. He's in that phase where he wants to exercise his own agency in life just because he can. There have been a lot of "No's", "I don't want too's" and just flat out yelling and frustration from him when we have to ask him to do things that he doesn't want to do. LOTH and I have had many nights spent talking about what we are doing as parents that is and isn't working and what else we should do. We've asked trusted friends and family for advice and have spent a lot of time in prayer. With all of that being said please know that he is a great kiddo. Smart, kind, funny, helpful, etc... He's just also at that stage where he recognizes he can decide somethings for himself. So that brings us to this morning.
We do bible stories with our kiddos every night before bed time. As I was sitting at the dining room table post workout doing my bible study this morning, my son came downstairs to use the bathroom. He came out when he was finished and asked if he could sit with me for a few minutes during my "Special Bible Time" as he called it. Mind you, he can't read a lot yet and just wanted to spend time with me. I said of course and he climbed into my lap. He asked me what story I was reading and I told him it was about Jesus and the tax collector. I told him in broad strokes that even thought the tax collector had made some poor choices that Jesus loved him, forgave him and wanted to spend time with him. It was then my son brought me to tears. He looked up at me and said, "That's like you and me dadda. Even when I don't make good choices you still tell me that I'm a good boy and you love me."
And just like that, just when I needed it, I knew the two most important things that I'm trying to teach my son right now are getting through. That he's a good boy and I love him.
Don't know who needed to read this today. Maybe I just needed to share a win.
My 4, almost 5 year old, son has been challenging recently. He's in that phase where he wants to exercise his own agency in life just because he can. There have been a lot of "No's", "I don't want too's" and just flat out yelling and frustration from him when we have to ask him to do things that he doesn't want to do. LOTH and I have had many nights spent talking about what we are doing as parents that is and isn't working and what else we should do. We've asked trusted friends and family for advice and have spent a lot of time in prayer. With all of that being said please know that he is a great kiddo. Smart, kind, funny, helpful, etc... He's just also at that stage where he recognizes he can decide somethings for himself. So that brings us to this morning.
We do bible stories with our kiddos every night before bed time. As I was sitting at the dining room table post workout doing my bible study this morning, my son came downstairs to use the bathroom. He came out when he was finished and asked if he could sit with me for a few minutes during my "Special Bible Time" as he called it. Mind you, he can't read a lot yet and just wanted to spend time with me. I said of course and he climbed into my lap. He asked me what story I was reading and I told him it was about Jesus and the tax collector. I told him in broad strokes that even thought the tax collector had made some poor choices that Jesus loved him, forgave him and wanted to spend time with him. It was then my son brought me to tears. He looked up at me and said, "That's like you and me dadda. Even when I don't make good choices you still tell me that I'm a good boy and you love me."
And just like that, just when I needed it, I knew the two most important things that I'm trying to teach my son right now are getting through. That he's a good boy and I love him.
Don't know who needed to read this today. Maybe I just needed to share a win.
