Leveling up with my kids

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When my kids do things they shouldn't. When they whine. When they throw a tantrum. It is very easy for me to stand up and talk down to them. As if what they are doing is specifically against me. I take it personal way too much. When really it's not. It's not against me at all. It's against God.

My wife reminded me the other day very lovingly. You need to calm down and just talk to them. Don't be short with them. And getting down on their level (on my knees) and looking them in the eyes.

They can sense the tone in my voice and raising my voice or talking brash doesn't make them want to obey. It makes them want to hold even firmer to their position of defiance. But, at the moment when I'm frustrated and I've asked them to do something and they've said, "No.", it's hard to get low and talk to them.

This is something I want to get better at. Because I don't want my kids to be scared of me. I want them to talk to me and ultimately I want them to understand that when they choose to sin they are sinning against God, not me.

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