My epiphanies and initial changes in my parenting started off GREAT last week! It turns out it was easy because I had half the kids at home, and they are my most compliant kids at that.
Today in the car (after I about snapped in frustration) Brian joked (kinda), "Yeah, forget this grace thing. Just pop 'em for it all." It seems twice the number of kids means twice the volume and twice the issues and squared number of relationships to be at odds, which halved the number of my "grace-based parenting" responses. Or so it seems.
I've even said out loud to the kids, "It's different now! We're loving each other differently!" But I'm getting a lot of push-back from this "mom's not going to get angry and pitch a fit" approach.
Kill 'em with kindness. Heap hot coals on their heads. I am not responsible for their responses, just mine. And my heart, not theirs. I'm their encourager and model. I can respond to their push-back well. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. Actually, only IN CHRIST I can. And I will still pop 'em when they just have to have it.
And it IS worth it. It is the kindness of God that leads to repentance. The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. So right now I'm chill. Totally chill (as I sip on my amaretto sour :)).
I want one.
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