Whoever came up with the “terrible twos” clearly never had children. Yes, at 2, they begin the defiance as they crave this new found independence, but at 3, they can talk back. They can argue (although they don’t often win!). They can be more vocal about their defiance. We have survived this past year, but there were days I wasn’t sure we would. Being a mom is the best experience ever, but sometimes oh so hard!
When you are three, learning obedience is hard. It’s hard when you want what you want, when you want it. Some of us adults have that problem too sometimes 😉
Discussion:
What does the word obey mean? I have had this discussion with my toddler many times. Sometimes multiple times a week! Toddlers need a lot of reminding 😉 Read the story of Adam and Eve and the fall of man. Ask your child the following questions:
- What did God tell Adam and Eve to leave alone?
- Did they obey God?
- What was their consequence?
- Do you always obey Mom and Dad?
- What happens when you do not obey?
- Do you think it pleases Mom, Dad or God when you disobey?
Just as Adam and Eve had a consequence for not listening, each disobedient action your child takes requires a consequence. I tell my son that “when you disobey, you have to have a consequence so that next time, you will remember that what you did was a bad choice.” Explain to your child that God gave mommies and daddies the responsibility to teach their children how to obey, and that is why there are consequences. We have to give consequences to help them grow because we love them, just like God had to give Adam and Eve a consequence because He loved them.
Scripture
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1
Activity:
For this activity you will need:
- Any sort of embellishments
- A jar or see through container
- Beads, marbles, or any other item that can be placed in the jar
We are going to make an obedience jar! Allow your children to decorate a jar with any sort of embellishments that you may have (pom poms, stickers etc). Place the jar in a location that your child will see it often. Each time your child is obedient, give them a marble or bead to place in their jar. If you so choose (and I do, because this works for my child!), you can also take out a bead when they are disobedient. When the jar becomes full, give them a reward.
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