The stakes are high and so is he

Nathaniel is a terror. I love my son, but this is the truth. The other truth is that I am to blame for a good portion of it. I am with him (with out Daddy) 80% of the time, so I guess that means I am responsible for 80% of his terror-ness? He’s 2 1/2 and he really is the 1st of our children to get the dreaded “terrible twos”. Some of this is personality, yes. He is very stubborn, willful, rebellious, independent…hmm, that sounds like the rest of us, doesn’t it? But a lot of it has to do with environment as well. What the child can and can not get away with. I’m sad to admit this, but he’s getting away with far more things than he should be.

And so, the line has been drawn. The battle is in array. The battle(s) are raging high. But I will win the war. I must. For his sake, for the sake of the other children, for the sake of my marriage, for the sake of my sanity…I must win. WE must win.

So. Come the morning light, upon the opening of his eyes, Nathaniel will be staked. Even if all life and happenings need to come to a stand still, this will happen. It must. For we can not go on with this terror. This willful disobedience (and yes, even at his tender age, it is most defiantly willful!) is ruining many things, including Nathaniel himself. I know I must make this stand and make the decision to do it. I can easily become overwhelmed when it comes to him. Mostly because of the war it will cause. And the other responsibilities I have to our other children that I perceive to be neglecting when focused all on Nathaniel. But I KNOW that this will only get worse as he gets older and to nip it now is what I need to do. It will be far less painful than if I was to wait.

Adam is “coming home” in December, so he will be here during the majority of the day to help (when he can and is not working in the kitchen). However, it can’t wait till then. I’ve got to pull up my big girl panties and be the mother to him that I need to be. However long. However hard.

The stakes are just too high. So keep me accountable, my dear reader(s). You may not be here to look over my shoulder each day, but you serve the One who is. Please keep us in your prayers. Hopefully, not too many battles need to be won before the war is over. (I expect a few skirmished here and there, for my children are human. But the law needs to be set right now, so everyone knows who is in charge. I’m also hopeful that with the victory with Nathaniel, I won’t have to fight so large of a battle with the other children.)