Lessons Mya taught #5 & 6

There are 2 firsts that Mya experienced today – first haircut at the salon, and first time tumbling down the stairs.

I wondered if she’ll be “her mother’s daughter” and enjoy going to the salon. As a first timer, and with a little help from a Sesame Street video, there was some fussing and protests – but not a whole lot and not the whole time. A good possibility that she might grow into it, don’t you think? Hopefully she’ll like her next outing at the home salon better.

The second first leads me to the next lesson.

Lesson #5 – I’m there to catch you when you fall

“Oh Mummy, look! I’m going up the stairs again. You’re gonna stop talking to Grandma and come after me right?”

“Oh! You’re not coming? Ok I’m going up…”
“Are you coming? Oh oh …." (pom, pom, pom...)
“You caught me! Hmm.. ok. I guess you were waiting for me down here. Let’s try again. Up I go…”

My heart still tightens when I think about Mya’s tumble. But the fearless one proved that was no more than a little restart to her conquest of the stairs. I’m sure the carpet and me catching her before she hit the ground helped.  Still, she reminded me that not every fall has to hurt so bad or end up in wails; especially when someone’s there to catch you. Falling ain’t that bad, when there’s someone to break the fall.

I will not always be able to catch Mya in time, and she may not always find cushion for her tumbles. But I know that there is Someone who will always catch her when she falls. Physically, emotionally, mentally, morally, and in every other conceivable way – she may fall, but she is safe. The big wide safety net that the Father casts over and under His children will always be there for His children. Thank you Lord!

Lesson #6 – Tough love

We’re trying to sleep train Mya – so that she can sleep on her own through the night. The obstinate little one has tried puking, wailing for almost an hour and simply playing in her crib to wear us down. Some efforts work better than the others – puking for instance, gets instantaneous reaction.

“But child! We are committed to helping you sleep better ok? It’s for your own good! You don’t understand now, that’s ok. Just know that we love you, and we hear you; even when you don’t see us in your room. It’s hard, we know; but it’s hard for us too. Let’s keep trying ok?”

It takes so much to train and discipline a child! Tough love is tough not only on the recipient, but also the giver. Only God in His holy love can love as the Perfect Parent – knowing when tough love is needed, what the best vehicle is, to not be swayed back and forth out of “soft-heartedness”, to respond appropriately in every situation, to not “feel bad/guilty” for doing too much or too little or too late, to not be insecure about parenting.
What if God did not relate to us as a Father? What hope do parents have to parent well, without Him as a role model and be the Perfect Parent to our kids when we fail?

And thank you Lord for loving us enough to discipline your children. Don’t take your rod and your staff and your storm away, ever.

Jesus, don't You keep me from that storm
I wanna walk that sacred ground;
For You are Master of it all
And I am but a lost and found.

~ Lost and Found, Robin Mark (one of my favorite songs, ever)