One of these days......

One of these days, I am going to pick Isaac up from his classroom and not get the downcast eyes and soft spoken,"I need to talk to you about Isaac" speech from his teacher. I can almost expect it to come. No matter which day of the week or which function we are at church for, I often get the "talk". I almost feel sorry for the teacher that has to convey the "difficulties" they have suffered at the hands of my son. They look almost embarrassed to tell me and are probably thinking....'poor, poor woman'. I wish I could just interrupt and say "It's okay. I have heard this a million times. I can handle it!"

Gabe and I have honestly struggled in finding the best way to reach our very SWC (Strong Willed Child). Though the world may look at his behavior at times and pass judgment on us as parents, let me reassure you we are doing our best. Yes, we make mistakes often but one thing remains constant....... we seek God's wisdom daily. We seek God's guidance and surrender our "bumps" in the road of parenting to His Sovereignty. It becomes at times a very Spiritual struggle. I can feel Satan wanting to tear me apart when there is a set back with Isaac's behavior. He succeeds at times only because I let him. Then God very gently and lovingly reminds me that He created my children with all their quirks and tendencies for a reason. Who am I to argue or fight against that? With the right guidance, love, and discipline, Isaac's strong will can be used to glorify and serve God in many ways. So parenting a SWC may take more time, energy, and (let's be honest) tears, Isaac is worth it. He is a great and very special little boy. I know God has BIG plans for him.

My bit of advice for all those that don't have children yet or haven't dealt with behavior problems with your own is... don't pass judgment when you see a child misbehaving. Instead, pray for that Mom(Dad) and child. I admit I used to be the one passing judgment too quickly. God has humbled me and helped me realize how devastating it is to deal with glaring eyes in a store as you struggle to regain control. And for those that also struggle with a SWC, check out this article. Might be helpful and encouraging.