You are Strong!

I’m realizing there are reoccurring themes in parenting.
We teach and hope and teach and pray and teach a principle to one child.
We see progress … slow sometimes… but progress.

Then … BAM! the next child is in that same phase.
Teach & hope & Teach & Pray & Teach some more.

BAM! … next child. etc.

And then we realize that the child who has progressed helps to teach the younger ones.

Example:
Teaching a young child that he is responsible for his choices and his feelings.
You cannot blame everyone else for your circumstance.
Child whines, child complains… about homework, chores, dinner, etc.
Child loses privileges.
Child has a larger tantrum and blames everyone around him for making him sad.
“You cannot blame others for your choices.” was the advice the elder sibling gave.

ah-ha. interesting!
So perhaps life lessons teach.
Sometimes we are being blamed… sometimes we blame.
I think we become wiser when we are blamed for something we realize was their own choice.
(Recent Example from 4th Grade Bully: “Way to go… it’s your fault I was suspended from school.”
Response: “It was not my fault. It was your choices that led to this consequence.”)

Another reoccurring parenting theme is STRENGTH & COURAGE.

“Be Strong!” is a phrase I say often as a child leaves the house.

Be Strong when choosing friends.
Be Strong and be yourself.
Be Strong and control your choices, instead of being willing to let others bully you.
Be Strong and choose the right.
Be Strong for God is with thee!

For another child who doesn’t want to do any chore …
or homework… or toss diapers into the garbage …
or is too scared to walk by puppies or kitty cats …
because it’s too scary or hard or gross…
I say,
“Heavenly Father made you STRONG.
You can do hard things.
He made you amazing and courageous.
God made you a part of our family because we need you.”

There are so many kinds of strength.
Spiritual Strength (I choose faith!)
Physical Health & Strength (“You must do the thing you think you cannot do”)
Mental Strength (optimism vs pessimism)
Emotional Strength (I rely on the Atonement for comfort, courage, and strength)
etc.

Strength to stand for the right in a school full of Mormons.
Courage to walk by the cat on the way to the bus.
Strength to be alone rather than being with bullies or brats.
Courage to do hard things every single day!
Strength to ignore insults at church or scouts.
Courage to be unique.
Strength to be a leader instead of a follower.

Kinda random…. but these are the thoughts for the day. Saw this quote today and loved it.

“But no one except Lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her, “Courage, dear heart,” and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s, and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.” ― The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

God is with us when we choose that path.
His Holy Spirit whispers, “Courage, dear heart”,
when He knows we need strength.

I pray so much that my children will have
strength of character,
strength of faith,
and strength of wise choices
to guide them on this journey.