How is your journey with Trust and Obedience going? Are the questions from the Key Jar beginning to unlock places in the hearts of your kids you didn’t have access to before? Have you asked the question “Am I trustworthy enough for my kids to obey?” What did you come up with? I hope this journey has been as thought provoking for your family as it has been for mine.
As I have looked at my heart and my parenting one of the biggest things I have discovered is how inconsistent and demanding I am. Often as we enter the house, this is what can be heard in my house:
“Save that story till I get inside.”
“Take off your shoes.”
“Don’t stop right in front of the door.”
“Hang up your coat, don’t just leave it on the floor.”
“Did you put your shoes away. Come on, you know where they go.”
By time we get unloaded and inside I’m worn out and don’t feel like playing toys or reading books like I said we could on the way home.
As I have reflected on my parenting this month I have discovered most of what I think I’m asking my kids to obey are actually commands I’m barking at them. There is so much coming at them I’m not surprised they let most of it slip right on by.
This week I am going to try something new with my family. We are going to decide what makes up our Keys to Obedience. What are the pieces that must be present for our family to trust those who lead us and do what they have asked us to do? We are going to sit down together and use this printable to create a set of keys for parents and kids. My keys might include short reminders for things like: “Give space” for my children to obey; encourage them with “You can” statements. Keep your keys short and simple. Your kids’ keys might say, “First time” or “I will.”
Make this unique for your family! Maybe you punch holes in each key so they can fit on a ring or hang them on your fridge. Maybe you color your keys. Maybe you write “right away, all the way, and in a happy way” or maybe you write the R & R Principle from the podcast last week. Maybe you laminate them so they will last forever or maybe they are torn to bits by the second day. It doesn’t matter! Use them in whatever way your family needs to help gain access or understanding to what Obedience looks like in your home.