Let’s jump in, shall we?

Grace: Mom, Eli said, “What the h-e-l-l.”
Me: Did you say it or spell it? (Does it matter?)
Eli: I said it.
Me: OK.  Well you will not be participating in the sleepover tonight with your sisters, and you’re getting pepper in your mouth.
Eli: I’m not putting one grain of that pepper in my mouth.
Me: Would you like to try that again?

And now to summon up all the patience in parenting I can muster….

Eli silently comes over and opens his mouth for the pepper.  He then goes upstairs, yells, and slams his door.  SO, I went up and made him open and close it calmly and quietly ten times, which is the normal consequence for slamming a door at our house.  He hates it.  A little while later he opened his door and yelled, “Don’t even think about coming up for a hug and kiss!!”  And proceeded to throw things around his room.

I’m telling you right now, all of this praying for the fruits of the spirit might be working.  I could not have stayed that patient had it not been for God intervening last night.

I let Eli be, giving him time to calm down and allowing him to have his feelings.  I then went to his room and said good night.  I asked if he wanted a hug and kiss, and since he had calmed down, he said yes.  And he apologized for his behavior.  AND THEN THE HEAVENS OPENED UP AND THE ANGELS SANG HALLELUJAH! 🙂

I do not have this figured out, this is not a “look at me” post.  This is a “praise God that I didn’t flip out this time” post.  Staying calm in the face of anger and disrespect is not my forte.  So praise God indeed.

[subscribe2]