Our day together started off lovely. Actually, really beautiful. I'm referring to my day with my sweet Lia-Joy. We cuddled, talked about the day ahead and snuggled some more. I love those sweet moments.
Somewhere between our snuggle time and about 1 hour ago something went wrong. She has been sitting in her room for one hour refusing to pick up her books. I helped stack them and all she has to do is put them on her bookshelves. Simple. But she keeps shouting, "I'm not going to do it!"
I gave her some time to calm down (time wasn't helping) and then I set the timer. I explained that I gave her instructions and if she chooses to willfully disobey that I will have to give her a spanking and she will still need to pick up her books.
As I walked out of her room, everything in me is hoping that she will hop out of her bed and put her books and puzzles away. The timer is going to go off in a few minutes. I don't want to spank her but I very well may have to. Sigh.
Parenting is the most beautiful and challenging experience I've had in life. Lia challenges me in ways I never thought possible and exposes every weakness of my heart.
What made her so angry in the first place? Me folding laundry and not allowing her to jump on the bed while I did it? Was it my attention being on something else--not her? Was it simply my request for her to pick up her books? It's quite possible that it's all of the above.
Right now she says she doesn't like me and my heart aches because I love her so much.
The timer is going off.
1 comment:
kim, you as a parent is a wonderful picture of God's love towards us. it's breathtaking, really.
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