small breakthrough??

Sport has a hard time with time out. He has a hard time all the time feeling "left out." He has such far reaching hurts from the life he had before us... When we put him in time out he used to scream like we are cutting off a limb, now he "just" whines. He really hates time out. He will whine for hours if we would let him stay in there that long.

Today, he was throwing rocks...again. So he went to time out...again... When I went to talk it over with him hoping he had calmed down he was still whining.

I said, "why are you whining?"
Sport said, "because there isn't anything fun to do in time out."

There you have it...we have apparently met our goal of time out (not getting to have fun). Now we need to work on him actually trying to avoid time out by obeying lol! Understanding that disobedience has a consequence is so important - but they need to learn to do right...not just try to not get caught!

I am so frustrated by the premise that I am the cause of his pain. When I worked in prisons for 9 years I learned that the primary thought of criminals is "THEY are the problem" (the judge, the cops, the person who told). So, I may be a bit hypersensitive to my children thinking they they don't have the problem. Isn't that the core problem with sin and Satan's deception? The world is unfair. THEY are the problem. THEY don't understand. "I" am the victim.

But...how does one deal with that with a child who has been deeply hurt? They have learned that "the world IS unfair," "THEY did cause the problem,"" I WAS the innocent victim." Satan is so deceptive and evil. He twists and makes everything confused.

Thankfully we have the LIGHT and TRUTH of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit to help us discern and to give us wisdom. We have God who works ALL things of the good of those who love Him.