If you're like me, you're first thought is, "WHAT?!? What's wrong with this mom?"

Then, I read the story. Ah. Not quite so bad as I first thought.

In fact, I'd have done the same thing with my child. If I tell you to do something and you don't obey...then you will face the consequences of your disobedience. As most parents know, the best consequences, the ones that stick the most...are those born of a natural consequence.

Johnny leaves a nearly full jug of milk out on the counter? Johnny will be paying you $2.50 to replace that milk. Johnny's also not likely to do that again...because he felt the hurt of that $2.50...that he WAS saving to buy a new video game.

The difference between my situation and this mom's situation is that I homeschool. If I tell my child to get their lunch together for the park picnic we're having today & they do something else instead; then they won't eat until we get home. I have the ability to enforce my consequence because I'm with my child.

I'm not a bit surprised that the school chose not to honor the mom's request. I am beyond angry that they made the decision to tell the child that what his mom did was illegal. It was not anything close to illegal and for that I think the school SHOULD apologize! I think they should go TO THE SON & tell him that mom wasn't doing anything illegal. They were wrong. He should listen to mom.

How hard would that be?

I don't think that I would have actually expected the school to honor such a request, though. I would have told Johnny that he had to pay for his lunch since he didn't get his lunch together. If he had the cash, it would come out of that. If not, I'd loan him the money and he'd pay me back...with interest. THEN it would be JOHNNY'S choice to feel the hurt of spending his own money on his lunch or to feel the hurt of not eating lunch. There would be nothing for mom to ask the school to do. If the school told Johnny that he MUST eat, then he would be required to purchase the lunch with his own money.

If you choose to have your child educated by someone else, whether that be a private or a public school, then you have to accept that you have given up your right to parent your child during a part of the day. As such, you'll have to alter the consequences accordingly should your child disobey. You might have to get more creative with your discipline, but you can still find a way to have Johnny feel the consequences of his actions...while not expecting the school to play an active part in his discipline.

And that would be MY daughter!

The one who has my stubborn, hard-headedness. (We're so bad, we are both stubborn AND hard-headed.)

She's quite independent, thankyouverymuch! (Even more so now that she's in the double-digits.)

She doesn't need or want anyone else to tell her what to do. Nope. She can control things just fine!

I am well aware that our greatest weaknesses can also be our greatest strengths. Getting them to actually be that when you are the exact same way as your daughter...can be a bit of a challenge.

Lord, I ask you to please give me the strength I need to NOT be so hard-headed and to remember that her weakness IS a good thing and is also her strength. Help me to remember that I struggled just as she is now, and still do so even today. Help her to see that this can be one of her greatest strengths, if she will surrender it to you and your will. Show her as you often remind me that being in control is just a false security. We have no control. Everything is in Your hands.

I know the struggle to be selfish when you're strong-willed and like to be in control. I know oh so well the desire to control everyone and everything around you. After all if you're in control, then what can go wrong? Go ahead. Laugh. I often laugh at myself when I see my attempts at control gone sorely astray. Like, for instance, my attempt to keep my 10yr old in line...HA! Like I have a chance!

My prayer for her is that she will surrender her will and her life to Christ. I pray that she will come to know Him more closely than I could ever imagine. Then, and only then, will her weaknesses become her strengths. Only then can they be used by God.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, we're having some struggles with our 10yr old right now. She's not running off the deep end or anything; she just thinks she knows better than us. Because she's 10. And she's smart. And she just DOES. (Know better than us, that is.) Plus, she figures with HER in control, nothing can go wrong. And oh have I been there before!

-Me

Some genius felt the need to do a survey or study (no doubt paid for by our government). According to Live Science, that study had mind-blowing results: Parents are to Blame for Childhood Obesity.

Gee. Ya’ Think?

That doesn’t mean that genetics can’t play a role for both thin & overweight children, but the bottom line still stands. You ARE what you eat. Or, more aptly put, your children are what you feed them!

Did we really need a probably multi-million dollar study to tell us this? I’m sure someone, somewhere felt that this study was necessary (like those getting paid for conducting the study).

However, when it’s MY money being used please consult me first. ‘Cause I could have given you the answer for MUCH cheaper. Like, I only charge $100,000 for such answers (or a new, fancy house…whichever is cheaper in today’s economy).

-Me