I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus

This morning our apartment was loud. It was filled to the ceiling with the yelling of a one year old. Perhaps her teeth hurt. Or she was tired. Maybe she had no reason at all. Whatever was going on in her head was making her frustrated and the only way to communicate that with us was to yell, loudly, and over and over.

Seth said calmly to her, "Maxine, we do not yell in the house."

I told her, "Maxine, if you keep yelling you will have to lay in your bed to calm down."

Unfortunately, she's 1 and those statements, nor time out, worked. Not that the next one did either.

I'm making Seth's lunch and she's standing next to me yelling. I picked her up and thought, 'Why is yelling so bad besides it annoys us? What is a better reason to not yell?' Then I instantly thought of love. I told her, "Maxine, Dad doesn't yell at Mom. Mom doesn't yell at Dad. Neither of us yell at you. And it's because we love each other."

Then it became even more clear why we don't yell. "Maxine. Heavenly Father and Jesus don't yell at us or each other. They love us! I want to be like Jesus. Don't you? One way is not to yell." The Children's Hymn 'I'm Trying to be Like Jesus' popped into my head and I started singing it to her. Seth soon joined in too. I got a little teary singing, "I'm trying to love as He did, in all that I do and say."

Maxine looked bewildered at both of us singing. I gave her a hug and kiss and set her down.


Then she yelled.

Well, at least I'm more committed to using a quiet voice.

Oh parenting.