Teaching Tuesday / Behavior Speaks!

2021 New Year here we come! So many New Year resolutions, but shouldn't our behavior for every day of the year be to excel in every area of our lives?

Our behavior speaks without us saying a word. It tells others what we are thinking, feeling, and believing without us ever opening our mouths. Scientists call it Body Language! And in truth each of our bodies do have their own unique language.

I tell my 3 littles quite often, "Well, if you aren't mad, then you need to notify your face." But it's not just our facial expressions that speak volumes, even our very movements give bold statements as to what it going on in our hearts.

Have you ever noticed how a child on their birthday seldom gets into any trouble, and seldom will they misbehave at all? Why is that? Hmmm? Well, could it be, because they are being lavished with attention, being showered with gifts, and all their emotional needs are being met? In short, the people in their inner circle are valuing them! Parents, friends, and loved ones are making sure that the birthday child's love tank is being filled to overflowing.

Have you also noticed that a lot of times that same child is somewhat whiney, disgruntle, or irritable the following day? As parents we think, "What in the world ?!?!? We just spent all day yesterday making you feel special and loved, yet today you are so ungrateful that you don't even Janiah sporting a new Christmas outfit.

appreciate all our hard work or the money that we

spent!"

Hopefully, that isn't articulated to the child in those words, but I daresay nearly every parent has thought something along those lines at some point in parenting.

Last night, I was listening to a podcast called "Honestly Adoption" Podcast. It is hosted by Mike and Kristen Berry. It is resourceful and informative, and especially for all you adoptive parents out there - THIS IS A RESOURCE TOOL THAT IS REAL AND TRANSPARENT!!!

On this particular podcast (Episode #163) Mike

Olivia enjoying her homemade Blowpop! was interviewing David & Jayne Schooler

with Back2Back Ministries.

David made a profound comment that profoundly impacted me. I shared it on my Memo Monday blog, but it is well worth repeating.

"A child's behavior is their voice for an unmet need!"

Wow! So simple, so profound, and so true! I think I've probably shared about this before but, it goes hand and hand with that statement. We, as parents, need to be more concerned with the "WHY" behind our children's actions than the actual actions themselves. So many times, because most children can't articulate their need, they just act out to get the attention that they desire . . . and if a child can't get their love tanks filled any other way they will misbehave to get the attention they crave. In a child's mind any attention, even corrective discipline, is better than No attention. Nothing is worse than being so "invaluable" that you are "invisible" to those around you!

This year may we set our hearts before the Lord to be better parents to and for our children. If's that your heart, pray this prayer with me:

Dear Lord,

I am so humbled to be honored and called by You to parent my child/children. I ask that You let me view my Child's behavior as their voice pointing me in the direction of their unmet need. And with Your wisdom and grace help me to meet that need, in Jesus' name! Amen!