We have been trying to emphasize making good decisions with Katie the last couple years. The thought is that if we always tell her what to do, she will be ill-equipped to make good choices when we aren't around all the time, namely when she starts school this fall. The funny part about this is that she feels compelled to let everyone else know when they are making bad choices! One of my brothers is a casual pipe-smoker. We had talked to Katie about how smoking is a bad choice. When she saw my brother smoking his pipe, she told him, "Uncle Darrell, I think you are making a bad decision!" It was funny!
Tonight I was trying to use the same strategy to get her to brush her teeth. Occasionally she is too sleepy or lazy to want to brush, so tonight I didn't argue with her. I just told her she could go on to bed. I found this picture online and called her back in to look at it. I told her that this person didn't brush their teeth! She decided that she wanted to brush!
It was sweet later, though, because at bedtime, she prayed, "Dear God, please help that person who didn't brush their teeth and help their cavities not hurt!"
So, person pictured above, whoever you are, Katie hopes your teeth aren't hurting too badly! And thanks for posting the pic on yahoo images for my object lesson! Because of you, one little 5 year old brushed her teeth with no fight tonight! :)
2 comments:
Ok...so I don't usually leave comments...but I have to this time. (Otherwise Todd wouldn't be proud of me.) Tell Katie "Great Job!" and of course, "Great Job" to Teresa Jo!!!!
The things our kids say that reflect what we have told them ...
About 5 or 5 weeks ago, we found out Jimmy's little brother is going to be a dad. He got his best friend pregnant. Yes, his best friend IS a girl - who is like a part of our family.
Jimmy and I decide we need to sit down and talk to Abby about it b/c she has asked and we explained that a baby comes when "God takes a little of the mommy and a little of the daddy and makes a baby." She has also picked up on the fact that the baby comes AFTER the marraige. So we tell her they're having a baby and she says, "But they aren't even married!" So we say the choices thing as well, "We make choices and sometimes people don't make choices that God wants them to. But God still loves them, just like he loves us when we make bad choices."
The next day, we're out at the in-laws, everyone fresh from the big REVEAL the day before. Abby and my mother-in-law and I are out in the yard talking and Abby says, "Mamaw, you're going to have 8 grandkids soon ... (dramatic pause) ... because Ash and Uncle Bubba are having a baby ... (dramatic pause) ... and they're not even married."
Needless to say, we have another conversation about NOT dwelling on the bad, but trusting God and looking for the good.
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