One of the first words our kids learn to say is ‘no.’ I use to think that it was because it was just two letters, that rolls easily off the tongue. It takes far less effort than saying ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy’ so why wouldn’t kids choose that word to learn first. But then, if the bible is correct, and a little child will lead…just maybe there is a vital lesson there for us adults.
It takes guts to say no, and kids have a lot of guts. They learn this word before they learn fear, and they use the word with the same confidence they have that if they jump off a ledge, you will catch them. I don’t even think they fully understand what it means. As you grow older, you learn that sometimes the most loving thing you can say to someone is "no." Consequences aren't always immediate, but they are inevitable.
I had a friend who thought it was neat that her 6 yr old could handle scary movies. I warned her against it, but didn't have anything other than 'that's what you're supposed to do' to back it up. She learned the hard way that the common wisdom was sound, when her daughter started having nightmares.
When Christians point at a particular activity and say that it needs to stop, it might seem like hate speech, but it really is grounded in sound moral principles that are meant to protect us from the consequences that will be borne out over time. I just wish I knew how to communicate that better.
**I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Cleveland McLeish, my editor, for his contributions to this post, as he masterfully rewrote it for me. If you would like to utilize his services, he's available on Fiverr as Cabcom or Cleveland O McLeish or Christian editor/ghostwriter. I highly recommend his services.
It takes guts to say no, and kids have a lot of guts. They learn this word before they learn fear, and they use the word with the same confidence they have that if they jump off a ledge, you will catch them. I don’t even think they fully understand what it means. As you grow older, you learn that sometimes the most loving thing you can say to someone is "no." Consequences aren't always immediate, but they are inevitable.
I had a friend who thought it was neat that her 6 yr old could handle scary movies. I warned her against it, but didn't have anything other than 'that's what you're supposed to do' to back it up. She learned the hard way that the common wisdom was sound, when her daughter started having nightmares.
When Christians point at a particular activity and say that it needs to stop, it might seem like hate speech, but it really is grounded in sound moral principles that are meant to protect us from the consequences that will be borne out over time. I just wish I knew how to communicate that better.
**I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Cleveland McLeish, my editor, for his contributions to this post, as he masterfully rewrote it for me. If you would like to utilize his services, he's available on Fiverr as Cabcom or Cleveland O McLeish or Christian editor/ghostwriter. I highly recommend his services.
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