What's That You Say???

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I have a five year old and a seven year old - both girls.  And although they love each other something fierce, they can be extremely ugly and rude with their words.  And sometimes, they use that same tone and language with my husband and me...

And we. Get. ANGRY!

One of the phrases that I'm sure my daughters will either mock or reluctantly repeat is:

"I don't let my friends talk to me like that, so why would I let you?"

Or some version of it.

I say this to the girls if I feel like what they are saying is not kind.  Because, let's face it, sticks and stones AND words can hurt!  Words CAN break you.  And they are not soon forgotten.

My Bible translates Proverbs 15:1 a little differently.  It replaces "soft" with "gentle".  But, the meaning remains the same.

Our words matter.  And how we say them matters.  We communicate not just through words, but through tone, facial expressions, and our body language.

Yes, choose your words carefully - think before you speak - don't say something if it will be rude or hurtful.

But, then also, think about how you are saying your words.  What kind of tone are you using?  Is it sarcastic or uninterested?  Are you shouting an apology...because your "Sorry" might not actually sound very sorry...

And think also about your face and your arms.  They speak loudly too!  All too often these days I am reminding the girls to put their "angry arms down."  When they fold their arms in defiance, those are "angry arms," and Mama Lisa does not enjoy "angry arms."

Responding softly or gently can be hard - no doubt - but not engaging an argument makes the extra effort worth it.

I used my girls as the main examples here, but I too must remember AND practice what I'm preaching...

...wish me luck!


PS - As I was perusing the She Reads Truth Store the other day, I happened upon their ABC Scripture Cards.  The goal is to memorize 26 Bible verses throughout the year, each one beginning with a different letter of the Bible.  And this was the verse for A!  My girls thought I had picked this out as a little lesson, but no, it was picked for us!