Often when we consider maintaining order we consider the physical things of life the clutter, the kids toys, extra stuff. But we can have order in our emotional and social life too. I’ve been thinking lately How am I going to maintain emotional, relational order in my home during the next 2 months?
The next two months are generally busy times, often stressful and distracting from our normal focus on our children and their hearts. When we allow ourselves to get distracted that is when chaos comes into our relationships; we dont pick up on the first whinge, we let a bad attitude go, we dont worry about an angry word etc.
It is easy to let things go with our kids because
- we are tired
- we know they are tired too!
The thing is that when we make these excuses for our children (and they are excuses) it soon becomes our normal way of operation we start to have a hard heart so to speak towards our childrens behaviour. We stop seeing the whinge, the bad attitude and the angry words for what they truly are in fact, sometimes we stop seeing them all together.
If you were to stop and think about the commitments you have happening in your life over the next 2 months what affects do you think that is going to have on your children. What can you do to circumvent those affects? Im not suggesting that you dont go out, that you cancel all Christmas parties and holiday plans. What I am suggesting is that you take the time to consider how your children are going to fit in, and react to, these plans. And then if you see a potential problem you can do something about it.
What upsets your childrens equilibrium? (Their balance in life, their stability?)
How are you going to help them through the next few months?
One of the things that has been a big help to me in my parenting is that the idea that my job as parent is to help my child be successful. When we go to a party I want my child to be successful. I dont want him to fall to pieces, I dont want him to be rude, I dont want him to not have a good time. I need to know where he is at, and plan whatever is needed for him to have self control, for him to show manners and to participate in the party games. That is what being a parent is all about. For us to know these things though we have to think about it before hand. Now will be a good time for you to think about how you are going to help your child/ren be successful for the next 2 months.
