Choose Your Battles

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We have all heard the saying telling us to "choose our battles wisely". Well, I confess, sometimes I can just let things go simply because I do not feeling like dealing with the hassle or whining. When it comes to my children, I have been blessed that my oldest Selah has been relatively easy in some aspects. For example, she just decided when she was around 9 months old, she didn't want the pacifier anymore. That was it, just that easy. She was the same when transitioning from a bottle to a juice cup.

In other areas, however, she is more particular. Case in point, she has to have a certain top on her sippy cups and refuses to drink otherwise. Well, a few weeks ago we left a "good" cup at church childcare and have not been able to get it back. So, we were down to one and having to constantly have that certain cup has been a hassle when it frequently gets misplaced, needs constant washing, etc. All just to avoid the inevitable fit she would throw with another cup. So, this particular morning, I chose to go into battle.

A juice cup is not a big deal, but am I doing either of us any good allowing myself to act based on fear of her negative reaction to not having things the way she wants them? What is the root issue here, and how will it manifest itself later in her life if not corrected now? Am I keeping my child's heart on the right path by avoiding this issue?

Well, she did have a fit and refuse the juice and told me which cup she wanted. I calmly explained that it was the same juice in a different cup, and if she would try it, she would see. It would be the only cup she would get. I left her on the couch with the new cup, and went about getting things done around the house. After several minutes of pouting, I walked back in to find her drinking happily as if nothing had happened. One week later, and she is content to drink from whatever juice cup she is given without fuss or fit, though she still prefers the one.

The lesson I learned is that we need not avoid correcting our children based on fear of their reaction or not wanting to deal with the impending tantrum that comes with correction. It may not be as bad as we think, and we are helping our children develop into healthy, honorable adults by correcting them, even in the small things. We still need to choose and time our battles wisely, but realize that we will need to eventually deal with the root issues, and it's best to address them at a young age rather than allowing these tendencies to develop into negative character traits even more difficult to overcome as adults.

Lord, please help me to see to the heart of my child as You see into our hearts. If there is any impure way in him/her, please reveal it to me and give me the wisdom to correct it. Please help me to not be lazy or indifferent nor fail to act because of fear of a tantrum. Please help me to fight the good fight and persevere on their behalf and for their benefit and Your glory. I ask for Your wisdom and guidance to keep his/her heart on the right path. May I never fail to correct a heart issue and allow it to grow into a character flaw. For those that have begun to develop in my child, I pray for the wisdom to guide, counsel, and discipline whatever age and season they may be in, as You instruct me to. Please give me grace for each day and wisdom for each season. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.