Babysitting

Recently I've caught a glimpse of how hard it is to raise a child. Children don't miss a thing. I'm helping to babysit my neighbor's daughter and most of the time she doesn't listen to me. I know part of it is because I don't put my foot down firm enough, and end up trying to convince her to do things. I'm giving her attention, which she wants, only it's negative attention. I try to speak calmly, minding my pleases and thank yous, but there is just no reasoning with a child. The other day she wanted to paint a flower petal, but then refused to paint it because she didn't think she could paint a good one. When I suggested we do something else, she insisted on painting, yet she wouldn't pick up the brush to paint. I could feel the craziness coming on. When my patience is tried to its last, I can hear my voice getting louder in frustration, and I put on the face. Even the most trivial tasks become commands. "Brush your teeth, now." *cue ferocious look.* And still, still that doesn't work. To hear a child say, "I don't like you" or "this is no fun" or even, "I hate you." Oh my gosh, it's horrible. Can you even imagine your own child saying that to you? It makes me on edge just writing it.

I've also been struck by how often we demand our children do things that we grown ups don't even do consistently (or at least I don't). Things like picking up after yourself, wiping the sink clean, brushing your teeth in the morning, putting your shoes away, etc. We expect our children to do these things, yet the example is not set. The kids are watching y'know, and they hold you to your own standard. How do you speak in love while disciplining someone, which sometimes requires picking up the screaming, kicking child and taking them to wherever they need to be? How do you be sensitive with your words, making sure not to dismiss their feelings when their ultimatums are irrational and purposely testing? As you're asking yourself all these questions in the moment, the child is suddenly okay again, holding your hand and saying sweet words. What the? It's a 180 degree turn around, so fast that I can't wrap my head around it.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.