31 Days | Day 7: James 1:19

{A little note if you are new here...I am joining up with The Nester  for a 31 Day blogging series.  

To start back at the beginning or find previous days, click here}

I'm not going to say I haven't ever raised my voice at Ellis.  oh how I wish I could. 

But thankfully I can say the times have been few and far between.  And I've made a choice to try and keep it that way.

Ellis doesn't need to hear me yell because I don't want him motivated by an unhealthy fear.  I want him motivated by love and even authority, but not fear.  He needs to hear when he does something wrong, but not be afraid of the way I'm telling him. 

But anyone living with a toddler knows this is no easy feat.  It surely isn't with my toddler.  He is loud, climbs everything, and runs all day long.  I don't think he knows how to walk, just run.  Anyone who spends 5 minutes with the kid never fails to ask, "Is he always this active?"  

It's their nice way of asking, "Is your son really this crazy?  ...how do you survive?"  

So, when your kid is making poor choice after poor choice, how in the world do you keep your cool?  You have to be slow to speak.  

You have to make a choice before you get in the situation.  You have to know how you want to respond before you have something to respond to.  

Friends, let's make the choice to be slow to speak with our kids.  Make a conscious choice to just take a single deep breath and wait a few seconds before you respond to a frustrating moment.  Furthermore, you will see it change the way your kid reacts, and that's what makes it worth it.