Too Many Options?

I remember something my Mum told me when Brodie was a toddler. "Don't give kids too many choices to make. They wont make the choices you were hoping they will if you do! It will come back to haunt you"

You know I never really thought about it properly until today. After the roller-coaster of a week with Brodie in particular I needed to do some thinking. And for some reason this statement Mum made popped into my head. She was right and I wish I could tell her that she was but I can't. You see she passed away just over 5 years ago now. I know that she would probably know that I am thinking of her and what she had told me all those years ago.

I had always believed that giving children a choice to do something was a good thing. Even way back when Brodie was little. In some ways I still believe it but it's come back to bite me in the butt!! Now after some reflection maybe I have given the boys too many choice & options. What's that saying ... "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile!" My two sure do know how to stretch that inch to its limit!! And me along with it.

I've been exploding at Brodie over the smallest of things. I've been getting tougher with him and clamping down on his bad language & his attitude. With Mark's help of course. I am very grateful to have his help as I really don't think I would be coping very well without it. So for now I am going to limit their choices. They will follow the rules to the best of their abilities and they will (I Hope) become better people for it. All I want is for my boys to grow up and be confident, caring and sympathetic to others. It's not much to ask for really. I just hope that I can help keep them on the right path to become those young men I dream of seeing.