Let’s see if I can give a peak into the weekend. During game playing, if voices got too loud the parents gave a verbal reminder to lower their volume. When competition got the best of the children and unkind words were voiced, the parents quietly pulled the offending child aside and had them apologize to the others upon returning. One incident even involved cheating and lying. A child had peaked at another player’s hand and then denied cheating when caught. The father took the child into another room, read a verse about the heaviness of sin—wish I could remember, but I don’t—and the child responded to the conviction; he started weeping and admitted cheating. After consequences were administered, the child had to apologize to all the others and ask if they would allow him to play again. Truly beautiful!!
The youngest here for the weekend was three. She had a few training sessions when she tried to rank her will over her mother’s. More than once it was during a meal and she was quietly carried off and shortly after brought back to try again. Oops, not quite ready to submit to mom, so off again for another correction. Because of the mom’s patient consistency the daughter joyfully obeyed and the meal was continued.
My favorite character training of the weekend also involved the three year old. She was looking at my husband and crinkled up her face at him. The father asked her, “Why did you do this (he showed her his crinkled up face) to Mr. Doebler?” She stared for a second and then said, “I like him.” Father then explained, “This” (again showing the face) “is an angry face, not a friendly face. No more.” (one last showing of the “angry face”) The cutie pie agreed and was on her way.
Our friends did not vacate training on their vacation to our house. For their consistency they are being rewarded with a loving family and we are looking forward to them visiting again.