Toddler School

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

I'm often told I'm strict on my toddler. I expect nice manners, I expect good behavior and will quite happily banish him to the naughty corner if he pushes these boundaries. I, however, will never hit him, rarely raise my voice and respond to him in the same polite, loving manner he speaks to me in. We have a happy time, every day is filled with laughter and I both love, and like, my child. 

Until now I've believed that my parenting 'style' (if there is such a thing) was a reflection on my own childhood. It's not. I do many things differently to how my Mother did. So, how did I learn to teach my children? To raise them in the way I do? It's not simply a gut instinct, it's not a natural response. There are times when the baby won't stop crying, the toddlers whinging for juice/spongebob/cake and I'm rapidly reaching the end of my tether. My natural instinct is to scream, to throw the baby out the window, to put my toddler in a room with the door closed. My gut response tells me to leave the house and ignore the noise, to take myself far, far away. But what do I do? I exhale, blow the anger away and focus on doing good and bringing the joy back. Be it with a cuddle and a story, whatever. 

God guides me in what should be done, in how to discipline, with a firm hand but without anger. For a happy life, for happy children and for a happy relationship with Him.