Reprint

I really want to post something on the blog, and I'd LOVE to sit here for the next hour or so just venting and articulating. However, I have many, many responsibilities in the church house tomorrow that I MUST prepare for. Therefore, (hey, that rhymed!)I shall submit an article I wrote to be "published" in our local MOPS newsletter in 2005. It's slightly Utopian, but it still challenges me to "let my gentleness be evident to all".

Good, Bad, and Ugly

It’s 9am. Ashli, 2, has spilled a cup of juice in her room—where she is not supposed to have drinks. Luke, 7, has completed his homework with sloppy haste so that it is barely legible and now he finds ample time to bother his sister. Ardyn, 4, follows me around the house whining about the awful things her brother is doing and occasionally lashing back at him with her own unkind words. Landen, 9, losing track of his responsibilities, finds himself running through the hall and sliding into an imaginary home plate.

On a bad day, I would be stomping and snorting; pointing, and scowling; threatening, and thwarting. The children would be bawling and squalling. It’s not pretty, but it’s reality. On a good day, however, things would look and sound a little different….thanks to creative correction. Here’s the script:

“Ashli, you know we only have drinks in the kitchen or at the table. Mommy is going to take this string and tie a sippy cup to the cabinet handle for the rest of the day. You must come to the kitchen to get a drink. Please help Mommy clean up the mess in your room.”

“Luke, I see that you hurried through your assignment. You will need to recopy it neatly twice on a separate piece of paper. It’s always wise to give your best effort. But first, we need to talk about the way you and Ardyn have been treating one another.”

“Ardyn, God gave you brothers and sisters to love and enjoy. In order for you and Luke to have more time to practice being kind, I’m going to tie your left arm to his right arm with this bandanna. You will do everything together as a team for the next 30 minutes. If you argue or complain, I’ll add 5 minutes to the timer. Enjoy your friendship!”

“Landen, you obviously have some extra energy. You know we don’t run in our home. Please go to the back yard and run 10 laps around the backyard. When you get back inside, you need to focus and finish your work. (Landen huffs, and slouches) That will be 12 laps with a good attitude, would you like more?”

Lord, give me the patience and the creativity to train my children. Please forgive my ugliness. And thank you for growing me into a Mom who has more good days than bad.

(For more ideas you can read “Creative Correction” by: Lisa Whelchel)