Parenting Through God

One of my constant prayers is for God to guide Kellie and I in raising our daughter. Yesterday at nap time I received a direct message from the Holy Spirit while dealing with a very unhappy Lily.

She doesn’t have tantrums often, but when she’s overtired she can get a little unruly and irrational as many toddlers can. She was having a hard time already and wanted a snack before she went to sleep. So she asks for freeze dried strawberries, five of them to be exact. They are small pieces so I do her one better and bring her like 8-10 in a baggie.

Big mistake. She didn’t want 10 or 4, she wanted 5. So when I handed her the bag she lost it. Threw the bag across the room. Cried. And started kicking me. We do not play with hitting or kicking others. I told her that if she kicks me again, I’m leaving the room and she will nap by herself. She kicks again. I start to leave and she gets frantic and says “dad I need you!” And at first I thought I should hold the line and create the consequence for her action.

But then this popped into my head “when you make bad decisions and are having a very difficult time, God doesn’t leave you alone to deal with it. He may not change things right away, but he is near.” I thought about my darkest times, even situations I created for myself, God was there for me. I shouldn’t leave her alone. So I stayed. And I let her work through her feelings. Then she calmed down and told me she was sorry. Then we laid there together awhile and I comforted her. Then she asked if she could eat her strawberries and of course I said yes.

Parenting is hard. Sometimes you have emotions as strong as your child, but you are the one that has to show them how to deal. Leaving her alone wasn’t the move. I want her to know that no matter what she does or how she feels, I will always be there. I may be teaching her a hard lesson, but she is never alone.