a gentler approach

Yesterday was shocking. Ethan has gotten to a extreme defiant stage arguing with me over the most mundane details. I took a hard line approach with him, and was stern in my correction. Yet, I totally lost my cool with him twice. So very thankful for God's forgiveness for both of us. This morning it was all starting again with scream crying requests from Ethan and me getting very frustrated with his lack of ability to calm down and speak in a somewhat normal tone of voice. Terry suggested to me that maybe I take a gentler approach. Oh, it is so good to do this parenting thing with him. I hadn't even considered that tactic, and I am thankful for the suggestion. I feel much calmer already and I can tell so does Ethan.

The more I think about Terry's suggestion the more I want to really try not just today but in our future to do that. I want to speak to Ethan with the same tone and respect that Terry and I try and speak to one another. And I want Ethan to speak that way to us and to Seth and Naomi. I thought about it recently that I speak to Ethan in such a derogatory sort of way, justifying it that he is a child. Yet, that's not right at all. I want to speak calmly and gently and teach him to respond to calm direction instead of teaching him he doesn't have to obey until my tone becomes like that of a lion, rawr!

All I can do is seek to do this new "method" through prayer and His strength. I'll keep you posted.