Training

Not the kids this time, though I'm still loving my Love and Logic class. It is really helping me teach Cassie how to respond, behave, etc. appropriately. Our house runs much smoother and I get to the end of my rope less often.

It's me that is being trained, though. I have a friend that is always open to blogging about growth in her Christian life. She has blogged about her pride issues a few times and today that really hit home with me. You know how the Bible says not to boast? Well, that applies to bragging about your kiddos, as well. The moment you do, they prove how dead wrong you are! An idea presented in my L&L class was the bean box. You basically get a box/tub/bin and put whatever sort of beans suit your fancy in it. You give it to your kid with a few fun ideas of what to do with it. Voila! Instant, creative fun. Cassie played with her beans for the first time yesterday. I had 2-1/2 hours of bliss as she played (Don't worry--I checked on her often and I gave her rules about no beans in the mouth, no beans near brother, no beans when he's in the room, etc.). She hid things in the beans. She poured beans out of her teapot. She begged to keep playing with them after dinner (after they were all cleaned up). She loved those beans. She cleaned them up well, too. It was a great thing for a busy momma that is trying to unpack her house.

This morning at L&L, I told some of the girls what a huge success it was, how nicely Cassie played, etc. etc. etc.

Rewind from this very moment to 30 minutes ago. I go into her room. Beans are EVERYWHERE. Beans are down the hallway. Beans are all over her room. A few have landed on the exersaucer in the hall where baby brother was playing. EEK! I about had a heart attack. What was worse than that? She had made a pile of beans that she was sitting on/in and had wet her panties...real panties. So, I had pee-pee beans. I had beans everywhere. I had a near disaster with the beans and baby. I had wet panties. I had...well...a response to my pride about how my daughter would never do something like that with her beans. I'm really not naive enough to think that, perse, but I did think that she listened and would obey. I was arrogant in my thinking, I must admit.

Alas, there was no tragedy in this story. Nobody was hurt (though the spanking may have hurt. It was for the beans being where brother could get them...not the rest of the mess...the consequence for the mess was just losing the beans). Nothing was ruined (though her carpet got pee-pee on it and Conrey's got poop on it today...lots of carpet cleaning). Nothing was broken...except for my prideful spirit. This won't be the last time God has to speak to me in this way, I'm sure. I just hope that I learn from it each time and do better the next.

Moral of the story: When you brag...you WILL get your "reward" for that bragging.
Moral #2: Don't eat beans at my house. :)

Yes, I still have a sense of humor after Cassie and I cleaned up. I'm tell 'ya...it was like thousands of beans. UGH. A lot. Ick.

Anyone want to share some of their kid (or even pet for those of you that don't yet have children) stories to make me feel better?!? :) :) :)