Today was calm and beautiful; my 5-year-old son was still in bed. Oh, but when he gets up, the day will be on. As I started my day, I knew it would be on with my son Shane. This five-year-old had a will like no other. He challenges me more than any job. It started with breakfast. “Shane, eat your oatmeal; it will make you grow stronger like your daddy.” “No, I don’t like oatmeal.” So, it starts with his disobedience, testing me like no other. He looked at me with those big brown eyes. I am determined I am not going to give in to his disobedience.
Shane sat quietly at the table, staring at the oatmeal. “Shane, how long will you sit at that table?” He just looked at me with a blank stare. One hour went by, and I was getting frustrated. “Shane, go to your room!!” I said to him. He got up and went to his room.
After an hour, I went to his room, and what I saw shocked me. Toys everywhere! You couldn’t see any floor. “Shane, you are to pick up this room, or you cannot come out.” He just stared at me with those big brown eyes. His puppy dog eyes were not going to get to me this time. His will was against mine, but I was determined he would obey.
One hour passed, then two, and then I heard,” Mom, I did it. My room is clean. Can I come out now?” I thought, finally, I broke his will. I won. We may have a great day after all. Here, I go down the hall to see his significant accomplishment.
I opened the door, and there it was: a beautiful, clean room. “Shane, you are such a good boy,” I said. He just smiled and said,” Can I go play now?” “Yes, Shane, but stay where I can see you.”
Shane went outside. As I was cleaning, I reflected on the events during the day. Was I too hard on Shane about the food? Sending him to his room for two hours? But the outcome was that he cleaned his room. This was a significant improvement. Now, if I can get him to eat properly, if we do not discipline our children, they may grow up not to reference God and obey his word. It is up to parents to teach them the moral codes and to learn to have respect for authority.
I continued with cleaning. I started folding clothes and putting them up. I went to put the clothes up, and when I opened the closet, there were no toys. I looked around, and what did I see? Toys stuffed under the bed. I shouted outside,” Shane, come back to this house.” He came in, and back to his room, he went. By this time, I was frustrated. Is he going to beat me down? No, he is not. He may be stubborn as a bull, but I will bring him up to be an adult fit for society.
This struggle with Shane went on until he was grown. But I can now say that I am proud of him. He had children too young, but he was responsible. He worked hard; now, at 47, he is a supervisor for a considerable company.
When he was a young man and his wife had children, I did too much for him, and I see him making the same mistakes for his children. You have to let them learn from their mistakes most of the time. You cannot keep enabling them. Teach them right initially, and then let them learn from stumbling.
It would help if you taught your children what is right and what is wrong. Please do not leave it in the hands of others, or you will have to fix it for a lifetime because they probably do not have the morals you do. I know from experience.
This is L Jean Davis.
The story is about my oldest child, who is 47, with four children and one grandchild.
Happy Friday, everyone, and I hope you enjoyed this story. Click subscribe below. I post on Fridays and the 5th of every month.