In Which I Confess My Utter Incompetence

Day 3 and writer's block already? Too bad I don't have a gimmick - like the lady who cooked her way through Julia Child's cookbook. Even though it's early on, I'm guessing my go-to topic will be my kid, because he is endlessly fascinating.

I mean, I could write about how i'm a pacifist - nearly Quaker-like, some would say - yet Bill spent a lot of time yesterday dressed completely in camouflage and perusing a book called "World Military Power." Not that there's anything wrong with that, but...

Where did I go wrong? Is parenting not the hardest job ever? Much harder than thinking up a new blog topic every day. When I was sitting in the kid's seat, observing the parents, I thought my mom and dad knew exactly what they were doing. Now I know that parents have no idea... Or is it just me?

I know some things for sure... like: French fries are delicious; and, Phil Hartman was a genius. But regarding child rearing, I truly know nothing. 

It would be great to think that admitting that I know nothing is the beginning of wisdom. Or maybe it just makes me seem like I have no business telling the kid what to do. My only real qualification for giving orders is my experience as a kid. Such as "if you turn in sloppy homework, you won't get a check plus," and "if you eat a pound of M&M's your stomach WILL hurt."

One thing I do know is that you are supposed to have firm rules and be consistent in enforcing them, and this we try to do. But today I was reading Hebrews 7, and it says that the LAW was not able to make anything perfect. I know this to be true, otherwise there'd be a lot more perfection going on. So ... how does apply to kids? 

The only guess I have is that they have to be transformed from within. So... how is this done? With love? What does the transforming kind of love look like? I don't know. Some would say it looks like discipline. But what about rules not being able to change anyone? Is discipline different from rules? Or are kids out of the scope of this since they are still being formed? In that case, aren't we all still being formed? 

If you're looking for answers, you won't find them here. Just more questions. I can only say that despite my incompetence, my kid has turned out fantastic - smart, creative, hilarious, sweet, enthusiastic, loving, curious... He can also be cantankerous, disobedient and stubborn... but that's probably the part I'm responsible for!