The Difference in Just ONE Day

I've been deciding how to share about my day with Christopher YESTERDAY.....I didn't want to complain, but share the challenges of motherhood!!! Yes, challenge was the "word of the day" yesterday.

We'd had pretty normal morning, minus a little stubborness on Christopher's part. While I was packing lunch I let Christopher and Anna play in the kitchen with their "peas" and some "beads". Anyway, Christopher started to scatter them and I got his attention and remined that he'd be cleaning up any messes he had made (which is reseasonable for him right now....cleaning up one thing at a time).


When the time to clean up the mess came he wasn't a happy camper..... he had to be corrected MANY, MANY times.... I even helped him by sweeping the peas near him and then helping him put some in the bowl (call it re-focusing). When I wasn't looking he'd DUMP the bowl, so they would be scattered all over the floor again. Anyway, when I stepped out of the situation for the second I was able to calm down, take a picture, call my friends to say I'd be running late to the park and decide to "win" the battle.

Before getting out of the van I reminded the kids about how to play nicely (ie "be sweet", "don't throw sand or mulch"). They played well but after lunch Christopher started throwing sand at one of the younger babies. When saw it, I quickly told him to come to me so I could handle it in another place away from the other families...... did he come immediately??? Nope, he ran around the picnic area causing a scene. He ended up needing "some" help getting to the private place and was screaming before I even got to him. Once he and I finished he came out, apologized and then ran back to playing like normal.

I just get so tired of having to constantly discipline the kids, especially when it's about things that we've been through already!!! And it's hard to discipline when they even buck the discipline.....
And I know I have a little boy on my hands, but they still have to be civil and they can be soo sweet...... they can obey and often do :)

But I was reminded of the verses that say...... (rough paraphrases)

*The Father loves whom He disciplines
*Spare the rod, hate the child
*NO discipline is pleasant at the time

But I remind myself that this is the time to teach, train and discipline them!!! SO that is what i need to do

We had a good evening with our friends last night. Andrea posted some fun pictures from our evening.

But today was totally different. Sure I had to correct Christopher a couple of times...but he listened up and obeyed the FIRST time. As I was dressed him for bed, we realized that he didn't need any extra measures!! And he beamed when Brian and I thanked him for such a good day:)

Here is the kids at the table as we did a little work this morning:)