Naughtiness

There are some aspects of being a parent that are absolutely idyllic: you feel like you're going to explode with love for your child, you look at them with eyes full of pride, and you think you can never get enough time with them. Then there are mornings like this one.

Ellie was so naughty this morning. We finally had to hold her down and forcibly get her dressed for church. It was really ugly. Then once we got her dressed (in socks, we didn't think we could get tights on her) and strapped her into the car, she went out of her way to laugh the whole way there and show us how cheerful she was. What?

Sometimes it's hard to be the bigger person and move on right away after a morning like this. I know it's not okay to withhold love and affection from your child, but I also want her to learn that her misbehavior affects others around her and their feeling toward her. Forgiving without condoning is a tricky line.