This is really just a short blurb, but I had to add it. I hope that Ava will read this conversation to her children one day...
Me: (in a firm voice) Ava Catherine, get down right now.
Ava: (silently looking at me to test boundaries; eye contact, eye contact, eye contact; finally breaking away from my stare to climb back down the couch)
Me: (in a pleasant, proud voice) What a good girl you are! Thank you for listening to Mommy! You know that God likes it when you obey Mommy and Daddy! And don't you want to be a good girl for God?
Ava: (eye contact and thoughtful expression) ummm...no. :)
I know there are moments when, as a parent, I should hold it all together to make my point. But, this was not one of those moments! I threw my head back and laughed so hard!! She really is an obedient child (most of the time) When she gets a little older, I will use this opportunity as a teachable moment. My goal in mentioning God is to get her to realize who she really serves. It is good for her to obey her mommy and daddy because we are the authority in her life right now, but it is even better if she realizes that she should obey us because God said so. Not only that, but if she doesn't learn to obey us (who she can see) then she probably won't learn to obey God (whom she can't see) We are trying to be a little preemptive in our parenting. :)
that's awesome! i say stuff like that to hk all the time.......she hasn't replied with that yet though!
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