We drove to DFW to catch a flight, then spent 2 days at Disney, then drove to San Diego to visit Josh's most amazing 98 year old Grandma Hazel, then back to Disney for another 2 days, then a congested drive up to the San Fernando Valley for some quality family time, then another drive down to the airport! Whew...there's no place like home.
Actually, there's just no bed like your own.
While we were visiting Grandma Hazel she complimented our children, saying, "They are so well disciplined!"
Is there anything better for a mother of 4 boys to hear? What a nice thing for her to say.
It was interesting, though, to hear them called, "well disciplined" and not "well behaved". As if the responsibility for their behavior rested on our (the parents) shoulders!
Why do I sometimes forget my responsibility as a parent to shape our children? Sometimes it's easier to let them do what they do and just hope they turn out okay in the end.
But loving your children is more than just hoping for the best for them! It's a conscious decision to correct their mistakes, it requires effort and it is mostly unpleasant.
It's that unpleasant discomfort that will prod them to the right choices though.
According to Merriam-Webster.com, discipline is described as: : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
I am so grateful to Grandma Hazel. She gave me a subtle reminder of how important it is to be a parent; to shape my children into the adults they are intended to be.
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