I fought a battle over a baby carrot that escalated into a war.
Sounds impossible, right? Not when I’m working with one of the most stubborn three-year-olds ever to wipe a stringy blonde piece of hair away from her peanut-butter crusted face.
And today I’m writing about it over on (in)courage.
I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been the most diligent of mothers when it comes to the eat-all-your-veges fight that plagues mothers of toddlers everywhere. This is mothering confession number one.
And now that my sweet toddler has morphed into a three-and-a-half-year-old, full of gumption preschooler, I was worried that it might be too late.
She hates vegetables. I know, I know. It’s my fault.My older daughter took to them easily. Maybe because I forced her to eat them early on (earlier than my necessity born “whatever works” mothering philosophy kicked in) or maybe because she simply likes them. Either way, she will eat them and my three-year-old will not.
Up to a couple months ago, I hadn’t wanted to deal with the ramifications of a screaming preschooler sitting for 90 minutes at the dinner table digging her heels in over a half of a baby carrot. Mothering confession number two: I was more concerned about peace in the home than what was best for her health. So I never made her eat them.
But one Saturday night we decided to make a war out of a baby carrot…
Click here to read the rest of the story.
Tags: (in)courage, mothering confessions, obedience, preschooler, vegetable
i love this entry…i hate the sorrow that you all had to go thru to get it…
Chad is a good dad…so is our perfect Father in the heavens…
it has always struck me as a bit ironic that our Father follows so little of the parenting advice we give to one another.
if God were a human father, He might be labeled as too permissive, too laid back…since so many of His “kids” are out of control. He would be thot of as either having too high or too low expectations of His “kids…you could make a good case for either.
we, His rebellious kids, have accused Him of not caring, not listening, not noticing, not helping us in the way we want…and a host of other slanders…still He patiently engages us each day.
in fact, what our “God/Father” DOES do is: love on us, forgive us, hang around for us when we are at the end of our end, gently teach & coax us toward Life…and He shows a patience toward us that is amazing.
blessed to love you & yours,
dad
I think you and Chad did a very good job combining obedience and mercy. God bless.
amazing post…thank you!
my love,
This was beautiful and so transparent on how our Lord deals with us. I have been composing a little story concerning my boys from last week and will post it shortly concerning similar issues. Getting to the heart of the matter is what God wants from us. Its not just about the “carrot”, its about obedience. From them and from us to our Lord. Persistence and love steer us all in the right direction.
I love you and can’t wait to sit and fellowship with you.
i wanted to share with you how your blog has touched me in so many ways. your testimony is awesome and i anxiously await your book! i have left something for you over at my blog, so check it out!!