One of the biggest things that I can tell you that I struggle with as a mom is feeling as though I am constantly picking up after everyone...or trying to round up everyone to find out who left what out and have them clean up the mess. Either way, it is very frustrating and sadly, I am often quick to anger.
To me, it often comes across as selfishness, laziness and not being a good steward of what they have nor seeking to have a servant's heart, etc... :) And, while that is true at least in part, most of the time, my kids do not leave stuff around the house in outright rebellion or with a desire to disobey...they just "forget" or get "distracted". There are times where their actions definitely warrant a spanking...but I really believe they are in desperate need of the "reaping and sowing" principle for these types of situations.
So, the Pichura Family is trying something new starting today. I have taken 4 baby food jars and put their names on it. I have also taken 2 more and filled one with pennies and one with dimes. Every time I find something of theirs laying out, not only are they responsible for coming and putting it away, but then they have to go and put a penny in their jar. The "kicker" is that each penny represents an extra 5 minutes that they have to go to bed early. ( I can already see it now....Faith will get up in the morning, eat breakfast and then have to go back to bed for the rest of the day :) ) If they go a whole day with picking up their things when they are done using them or playing with them then they get to add a dime to their jar (and they get it at the end of the week). And then the process is repeated the next day.
If we are going to be having guests over or going somewhere that would keep them from getting to bed on time, let alone early if they lost time, then they will have to "make it up" by spending the extra time on their bed after their hour of quiet time in the afternoon. I am also aware of the extra endurance that will be required of me to actually FIND OUT who left this or that out...sometimes it is just much easier to pick it up myself and take care of it...but in the end, I am not really helping them nor training them that (just like in the church in 1 Cor. 14:40) all things should be done decently and in order! And,when I do that, I'm also not helping them to see that God has called me to manage our home (1 Tim. 5:14) and I need their help and cooperation! As Micah always loved to say, "Mom, do you need help...because two are better than one" and, as the rest of Eccl. 4:9 goes "...because they have a good reward for their toil."
I have no idea exactly how this will go...spankings are the number one way we deal with sin in the Pichura House :) but both Bryan and I feel that, when it comes to this particular situation, this may be a very helpful tool! I'll try to give you an update at the end of the week!
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