I hope you are all having a great start to your new year. Mine has started in true TerKeurst fashion with a few sit-u-ations.
Just a few mornings ago, I found something in my kitchen that strangely resembled mouse droppings- just what every woman fumbling to make her morning toast and hot chocolate delights in. I mentally added "mouse trap" to my grocery list, cleaned up, and went on with my day.
Until a few hours later.
I was out with a friend when Art called. He'd made an alarming discovery in my son's closet. A cage complete with a real live rat descendant called a hamster.
Have mercy on my feeling like stringing somebody up by their toenails soul.
My son first brought up the idea of getting his sisters a hamster for Christmas a few weeks ago. The girls begged and pleaded and begged some more. Having just been through an issue with squirrels eating holes in our house, it was easy for me to say no.
And then no again.
And then no, don't ask again or you will lose your ipod.
Their like for their ipod won out over their desire for a hamster and all conversations ceased.
But something in Mark's heart full of love for his sisters, decided to go get the hamster and aid and abed this sharp toothed, poop producing creature- in his closet. His closet!
I wanted to yell and scream and get some fight on with one teen aged boy. But then the Holy Spirit tapped me on my shoulder and reminded me of my 1475 prayers asking God to help me remain more calm with my children. Rats. Literally.
So, I calmly called the boy's cell phone.
Hi honey. What are you up to? Oh, you're out to dinner with friends and then you're planning on a movie? Wow. That sounds like it could have been a lot of fun.
Too bad rumor has it that there is a certain little thing called responsibility currently chewing its way through some toilet paper holders inside its cage in your closet. Now, it could just be a horrible rumor. I have not laid eyes on it myself. But my sources are usually iron clad.
Might you need to run on home?
He came on home where we had a little discussion.
As I pondered how to use this in the on going process of shaping of one boy's character, I discerned that his issue isn't typically defiance. Yes, he did let his sister's heartbreak over not being allowed to have a hamster melt his heart and lead him astray. But usually, Mark is one of our most obedient kids.
The issue that really needed addressing was irresponsibility.
So, his punishment was given in direct response to helping teach more responsibility. He is responsible to oversee the feeding and cleaning of said hamster. If I smell it, he doesn't go out with his buddy that next weekend. And if the creature escapes and chews up anything, he is responsible for rallying the other kids to help pay for the damage.
Now, why not just return the thing? Well, two reasons. I am big on returning unwanted items to a store. However, when the item needing to be returned has a heartbeat, it's a little problematic.
Especially when it has been named cupcake and 3 girls have fallen completely in love with it. Three girls who are not off the hook with this situation and will have their own character development activities as well.
Reason number 2 is that I want Mark to feel the weight of his choice to get a hamster. And I can't think of a better way to teach that then being responsible to rally and remind his sisters to care for it.
Or worse yet, having to do it himself.
So, cupcake is now an official member of the family.
But let it be known today, droppings left near my toast and hot chocolate might just send me praying prayer number 1476 while carrying a cage and a heartbeat back to the store.
Just a few mornings ago, I found something in my kitchen that strangely resembled mouse droppings- just what every woman fumbling to make her morning toast and hot chocolate delights in. I mentally added "mouse trap" to my grocery list, cleaned up, and went on with my day.
Until a few hours later.
I was out with a friend when Art called. He'd made an alarming discovery in my son's closet. A cage complete with a real live rat descendant called a hamster.
Have mercy on my feeling like stringing somebody up by their toenails soul.
My son first brought up the idea of getting his sisters a hamster for Christmas a few weeks ago. The girls begged and pleaded and begged some more. Having just been through an issue with squirrels eating holes in our house, it was easy for me to say no.
And then no again.
And then no, don't ask again or you will lose your ipod.
Their like for their ipod won out over their desire for a hamster and all conversations ceased.
But something in Mark's heart full of love for his sisters, decided to go get the hamster and aid and abed this sharp toothed, poop producing creature- in his closet. His closet!
I wanted to yell and scream and get some fight on with one teen aged boy. But then the Holy Spirit tapped me on my shoulder and reminded me of my 1475 prayers asking God to help me remain more calm with my children. Rats. Literally.
So, I calmly called the boy's cell phone.
Hi honey. What are you up to? Oh, you're out to dinner with friends and then you're planning on a movie? Wow. That sounds like it could have been a lot of fun.
Too bad rumor has it that there is a certain little thing called responsibility currently chewing its way through some toilet paper holders inside its cage in your closet. Now, it could just be a horrible rumor. I have not laid eyes on it myself. But my sources are usually iron clad.
Might you need to run on home?
He came on home where we had a little discussion.
As I pondered how to use this in the on going process of shaping of one boy's character, I discerned that his issue isn't typically defiance. Yes, he did let his sister's heartbreak over not being allowed to have a hamster melt his heart and lead him astray. But usually, Mark is one of our most obedient kids.
The issue that really needed addressing was irresponsibility.
So, his punishment was given in direct response to helping teach more responsibility. He is responsible to oversee the feeding and cleaning of said hamster. If I smell it, he doesn't go out with his buddy that next weekend. And if the creature escapes and chews up anything, he is responsible for rallying the other kids to help pay for the damage.
Now, why not just return the thing? Well, two reasons. I am big on returning unwanted items to a store. However, when the item needing to be returned has a heartbeat, it's a little problematic.
Especially when it has been named cupcake and 3 girls have fallen completely in love with it. Three girls who are not off the hook with this situation and will have their own character development activities as well.
Reason number 2 is that I want Mark to feel the weight of his choice to get a hamster. And I can't think of a better way to teach that then being responsible to rally and remind his sisters to care for it.
Or worse yet, having to do it himself.
So, cupcake is now an official member of the family.
But let it be known today, droppings left near my toast and hot chocolate might just send me praying prayer number 1476 while carrying a cage and a heartbeat back to the store.
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