Where the air is sweet

Where the air is sweet

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Do right

I read a post a while back on a blog I enjoy about parenting and teaching your child to do what is right. It emphasized something she had read about teaching your kid to do the right thing for the sake of doing good. Not because they will get a reward, not because they will avoid punishment, but just because it is the right thing to do. I really liked the idea but I have no idea how one would go about doing it. 

I ask Elizabeth sometimes if what she is about to do is the right thing. She says no and continues to do it. How would one put this into practice without using punishment or rewards when they make the wrong/right choices? We talk about being good because it is pleasing to Jesus, but sometimes, that is not enough for her. When we go to daily Mass, there is a family that Elizabeth loves. If she misbehaves, I won't let her go talk and play with them. I run into a problem when they aren't there. I want to be able to have her obey, be quiet, keep her shoes on, and not jump around like a loon because it is the right thing to do in Mass. That logic doesn't work for her. She is two and I understand that. I don't mind using rewards and punishment but, at times, it seems like a bribe. Don't worry, we don't have a huge behavior problem or anything like that. I just really liked the idea of having her do what is right but have no idea how that would work in practice.

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