There is so much I want to share about this journey called parenting. But I thought it would be helpful to start with a little tool. I have learned, however, there is a danger in relying so much on tools that there is a lack of freedom and empowerment to be led by the Spirit.
I think of this as a tool in my toolbox and I give the Lord full permission to move it aside.
Sometimes as a parent we end up putting on the "referee hat".
Someone took a toy, a child was too rough, the list goes on and on. I
believe this is one of the largest sources of energy drain for parents.
They feel the need to police every sin, solve the problems, and set the
children straight. A lot of the time, that is being done against the
child's will. The parent is exhausted, the problem seems solved, but
no hearts were changed in the process and relationships are violated. I
started to think about what I really wanted my children to learn in
those situations. It's most often not the time for formative
instruction. The time for teaching them a biblical worldview and
instructing them is not always when faces are red and agitations high!
The children are at their worst and in their highest emotional state,
not good soil for planting seeds. Sometimes the opportunity will come
soon after the resolution, but you can be sensitive to the Lord on that.