Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Do hard(er) things

Sometimes as parents we must do hard things. I think as Christian parents we called to do harder things. Things that others, who are while they may claim to be Christian are actually worldly, look down on us for. Unfortunately I am too familiar with the show of contempt and disrespect for my convictions as a Christian mother.
I have been told I am to strict, too hard, selfish, and more. I think the one that gets me the most is being called selfish. Am I selfish for expecting the best out of my children. For expecting them to follow God’s word am I too harsh? Well I should hope so. I expect obedience and there are consequences otherwise. I and my family live for Christ. The bible is God’s infallible word on how we should live.
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20)
Our goal is to glorify God in all we do. Why then would I tolerate all misbehavior or any for that matter from my children? Not that all misbehavior is intentional, much in fact is habitual because of lax parenting. I am so guilty of this and ask my children to forgive me on it often. However, it is all sinful. It does not glorify our LORD and so must be put off from.
I find myself more at my wits end with my children. I am yelling way to much just to be heard, my children tune out everything when they are in front of the tv. I would like to rid ourselves of this but realize it has it’s value and hubby says no. My children have simply learned the rude and unsavory habit of not paying attention to detail. I have noticed the more they play video games the worse it gets. I believe the other bad habits the have learned have come as a direct result of the content of the VG’s. I have officially banned the VG until they learn to not tune out the world around them and to treat each other with respect.
Am I cruel? No, as much as I would love to ban them for good (and hubby would too), it would only increase our problems since one child spends half his time away from home at my ex’s and has free reign there. I have taken any and all VG’s away and they must earn them back by obeying. Every time they have a day without incidence they will get back one game and everyday they don’t they lose one. Eventually they would ideally have all the games back then the use of the systems would be returned in the same manner.  I think this house will be VG free for a fairly good length of time.
Maybe they won’t miss them and will rediscover their imaginations, toys, each other, and especially how to treat one another.
How do you reign in children who are too worldly? How do you change a child from being of this world to one that is in this world but of God’s plan?
Mandy

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