Drying the dishes one afternoon, I felt trapped. The children were being especially raucous, and I felt irritated. They seemed to rub against each other like sandpaper, and a tone of disharmony prevailed. "What's wrong with them?" I asked as I became more annoyed.
Then I paused and considered myself. Had I set the unpleasant tone? Had I been impatient and unkind in my dealings with them? Had I given them any undivided attention that day?
Gradually, I saw that I was not an innocent victim held captive by a bunch of hooligans. I was part of the problem, perhaps even the originator of the problem. How could I turn things around? I hung up my dish towel and focused my attention on them.
I gathered up several library books and a blanket, and we all climbed onto the couch and covered our legs with the blanket. I read to them for only half an hour, but the closeness and warmth changed the tone. No further action was necessary. I didn't have to correct or lecture them. It was enough to change my attitude.
To be wise, every woman must start with herself (p. 67-678).I was having a really tough morning with Kai the other day when this scene from the book popped in my head. It actually took extreme effort on my part, but I stopped engaging in the conflict with my children, gathered books and pulled the children onto the couch with me. We read this book that my sister-in-law gave me.
It did the trick! Just reading and being together calmed everyone down. Kai went back to his school work with renewed energy and enthusiasm. He chose one of the verses in this book to do for his copywork and I copied some of the scriptures that he liked to hang on his wall.
