2 Months and Better Parenting

Sunday Finley was two months old! Seriously, the time is flying by and she isn't looking as newborn anymore. She smiled for the pediatrician, but obviously, didn't leave very happy after her shots.

She weighed exactly 13 lbs (95th percentile), was 23 1/2 inches (90th percentile), and I don't remember how many cms her head was, but it was the 25th percentile. As Eric said, "she has a small little beaner."
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I just finished reading Loving Our Kids on Purpose (definitely recommend it!) by Danny Silk of Bethel Church. There was so much great parenting advice, but something that really stuck with me was where he talked about anger.

When our kids (or anyone) hurt us we have two choices- to come to them in hurt and sadness or come to them in anger. A person responds to an angry person much differently than a hurt one. Take, for instance, if you got pulled over by a cop for speeding. If he grabs you by your shirt, slams you against the car, and starts yelling at you, you're going to think about calling his boss, going to court, etc...

But, if he nicely says, "license and registration", etc...then ends with, "drive safe." You're going to think more about the consequences of what you did (speeding) vs what he did to you.

Ever since I read the book I've been consciously saying in my mind, "don't get angry." If they kids do something wrong I've been having them sit in the "think it over chair" (Danny Silk's idea) and calmly talk to them about what they did and how it affects them or the other person. If Eric says something that hurts me, rather than saying something out of annoyance or frustration back I just say, "when you said that it hurt me." And, it ends with, "Oh, sorry I hurt you." Much, much, much simpler. (Which most of the time it's unintentional and something really small turns into something bigger than it should be. Can anyone relate?)

I think, without being taught this, our flesh wants to react in anger. We have the natural desire to protect ourselves and our heart, but with anger all we do it break the "heart to heart" connections with the people we love.

I love parenting books that help me with parenting, but help me in other areas of my life, too.

(And, by the way, the first couple of paragraphs were a really rough paraphrase of the book. You'll have to read it if you want a better explanation!)