As a child, I lived in what I believed was healthy fear of my parents. Now a father and uncle, I think differently. A fallen curtain; repaired easily. This was the second time. The previous happening was met with my daughters fibs. I wanted the truth and the curtain left alone. As I walked upstairs with tools, I heard my daughter say to my niece "just tell him the truth. If you tell him the truth, you won't get in trouble." I swelled with pride and entered the room. Their faces were not frightened. They smiled and began to spill.
*blogger's note* This is my entry for this week's 100 word challenge for http://www.velvetverbosity.com/ . The one word prompt is FRIGHTENED. This is a true story from about 3 weeks ago. My youngest daughter Carly aka the Goose, and my niece learned valuable lesson is personal responsibility and I awarded myself parent of the millenium for my young ones listening to something I told them. Give me a break, I got one thing right. I'm allowed an endzone dance.
Today's song is an older one from Shawn Mullins. It's about not being beholden to your past and looking at what you have as a blessing and learning from it all. My kids and my wife do that for me. Here's Shimmer....
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This is amazing, and so, so important. Every child should have this kind of confidence knowing that honesty is valued. What a great foundation for them. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, Lance! End zone dances allowed in such times - just no spiking the ball. :) Good job, Dad/Uncle.
ReplyDeleteGood story, told well. And I'm doubting Bill and Gail were particularly stringent parents...unless of course you caused them to be. :D
ReplyDeleteJune, my parents were great, exactly what I needed. Today's kids need to be talked to more than told to, sometimes. At least with mine,a nd defintely in a blended family situation.
ReplyDeleteBarbara - trust me, I'll screw up tomorrow or the next day and I doubt I'll blog about it....you'll have to go over to my wife's blog for that.
I think there needs to be a nice balance of respect, with just a little bit of fear. Fear of disappoinment rather than punishment.
ReplyDeleteI wandered here from Best of Fates. A) I enjoy your taste in music and B) any blog that has a shirtless picture of Brad Pitt at the top is okay with me.
Hi Yandie! Megan's blog is hilarious. Thanks for wandering. The music is probably the best part of this site. Now I feel self conscious about my header picture. I was going for the Fight Club part not the shirtless Brad Pitt effect. j/k
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, with my 3 girls, respect works better than fear...
Absolutely justified in doing the end zone dance. Heck drop to a knew and raise a finger to God, this is epic. It gives me hope that every time I say "Just tell mommy the truth and you won't get in trouble, but if I find out you lied, you will be punished" with fake sweetness through gritted teeth when I really want to just yell at her, it just might stick with her and set a course for her to live by. Fantastic approach with your offspring.
ReplyDeleteYou've done well. I've tried to raise my children where I encouraged respect over fear too. Sounds like you got this one right.
ReplyDeleteWell done...both the story and the parenting! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are an excellent father. I believe that (most of the time) a childs behavior is the result of their raising...
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDelete