Mrs. Whatever You Say

Once upon a time, in the village of Kinderule, there lived a sweet and motherly lady, Mrs. Whatever You Say. When her eldest daughter, Ignorant Bliss, refused to go to school, the mother simply replied, "Whatever you say, dear."

When her son, Slothful, insisted on skipping his bath, the cheerful mother just bobbed her head nonchalantly, "Whatever you say, dear." And when Baby Defiance turned up her nose at her medicine, the indulgent Mommy responded, "Whatever you say, dear."

Frankly, there wasn't anything that Mrs. Whatever You Say made her children do. She loved them too much to stifle their "individuality". So they grew up Ignorant, Slothful, and Defiant. Without an education, Ignorant-Bliss never got a job. Because of laziness, Slothful never tried. And, for obvious reasons, Defiance couldn't keep one. So they all lived together in their mother's tiny house...unhappily ever after.

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We can all read this story and mock Mrs. Whatever You Say, but how many of us buy into the notion that "Baby knows best?"

If they don't like their broccoli, then fix them something they will eat. If they want to spend the day watching cartoons--don't make them go outside. If they don't want to take a nap, don't make them. And, for goodness sake, don't ever say "no!" (Isn't that an oxymoron?)

The Biblical model is quite the opposite: "Train up a child in the way he should go" (Prov 22:6) The word "train" means to "manipulate into a desired course or shape." In fact, locomotives are now called trains, because they are compelled to follow a track that leads them a certain direction. So children are to be trained in the way they should go.

This applies to every area of life. Childhood is not just an innocent age before responsibility strikes. It is a time of training for life. It's boot camp. We've all heard the saying, "Boys will be boys," but the truth is; "Boys will be men," and "Girls will be women." They must be prepared!

What's the big deal about brocoli? Well, besides the undisputed health benefits--nothing. But teaching children that they don't have to eat what they're given is unfair. Life rarely gives us options, we have to learn thankfulness. That starts at the dinner table. And I wonder; How many cases of ADD, ADHD, or autism would we have in this country, if parents would be parents and control what their children do or don't consume? 

*For more tips on raising healthy eaters,
Check out my newest Squidoo lens:

What to do with picky eaters