Last night I trained other parents on therapeutic discipline techniques for children from hard places by Dr. Karyn Purvis. This morning I battled my six year old over taking cough medicine, brushing teeth, brushing hair, and putting shoes on. These seem like simple requests, but she panicked about taking medicine which escalated into a full blown power struggle.
After dropping her off at school, I felt the nudge to read some verses in my Bible app on my phone. I read the verses that popped on the screen.
Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."
Conviction hit me like a bag of bricks. At the heart of this battle was my selfishness. I wanted my way and I won the battle of wills. But what did I really win? Certainly not my daughter's heart. I didn't help her calmly comply with my requests. I used force. And at the end of the discipline neither of us felt content or connected.
So I confessed out loud in the car to God. I messed up. I need Him to help me look to my daughter's best interest when I discipline her. I want to win the battles for my daughter not against her. Through connection and correction, we can both feel victorious against bad behavior.
#winning #adoption #badmoments #goodmomma
Dr. Karyn Purvis IDEAL Response Video
