Peace Gardens

Oh boy, today was tough. I have been really stressed lately and we have had a lot of tough days. But I feel inspired to do better, reading Louisa May Allcott will do that for you. Anyway, today we went with our summer play group to the Peace Gardens. It was really pretty. There are a lot of different area devoted to different countries, gardens area's tress, flowers, and cool little decorations like a mini Eiffle Tower, small houses, bridges, and even a miniature Stone Henge. The group was doing picture bingo, but my kids are to young for that so we kinda just wandered around doing our own thing. I was having a really hard time being patient because I wanted cute pictures, and they wanted to do their own thing without worrying about posing for mom or stopping to look at me and smile. So we compromised. They got to choose where to go, I got to take at least *one* good picture, and occasionally I got a turn to choose. ear the end when I let go we did better. I have noticed that the more controlling I try to be the less we get a long. So I try to let them do what they want so long as it isn't hurting anyone, harmful to material objects, or dangerous. And usually we do pretty good. There are times when I have to say we do this now because it is important, but kids need freedom. The more we suppress kids the more they rebel and do their own thing. I just need to teach my children to choose the right, and then let them choose.

Potty training has gone like that. When I got to controlling with it, Glen dug in his heels and wouldn't do what I wanted. But today when I was so ready to give it all up we sat down for a heart to heart and I told him how important this was. I told him that I was going to make it his job to stay dry, I would remind him occasionally, but it was up to him. If he does well he gets the Toy Story Snuggy he wants, if not then he has the natural consequence of cleaning up his messes and not getting his reward. SO far it has worked. I remind him and he goes or he doesn't, i don't push it. I have needed to remind him of the reward and that gets him going, but he is mush more willing.Heavenly Father gave us agency, the ability to make our own choices. I think that everyone, kids and adults alike, enjoy this feeling of having a choice and hate to have that choice taken away. We will sometime do the opposite just to prove we can still make our won choices. So now I am working to teach them to choose the right, letting them choose, and taking all these wonderful opportunities to learn patience and using them for good.