We've never seen the related movie which inspired the title of this post but commercials and commercialism seem to be enough for the kids to be completely aware of it, especially Zane.
The movie title makes me think about parenting. There is not one perfect way for parenting. Each situation is different. Vanessa and Zane require different discipline and focus. Many people despise the word "training" when referring to helping shape little people. I'm not sure if it revives horrible experiences in them in which the term was used, perhaps something like Army basic training or something similar, but really, isn't what we're doing as parents training . . . excuse me, I mean teaching or instructing and facilitating children to be productive and able to cope in a busy world of the unpredictable?!
What tools do you use in doing so? One guarantee we can make is to aim as close to consistency and stability as possible in our love and training. I know I have shaped and continue to shape my parenting based on mentors in my life. I've also used the bad examples to shape what I don't want to be as a parent, seeing results and effects from others choices. Good and bad examples can turn out to be good things.
What about the Bible and related resources that help us understand the context of the consistent thread within It? I'm convinced it's all good stuff and most reliable. I've piecemealed all my education textbooks and parenting blogs and magazines to help as well, but what I have found is that I don't have to pick and choose what I want to pull out of the Bible. The Bible has something in it to relate and direct every situation, as long as we understand the context in which certain text was written and how it fits into the whole story. Inevitably someone will cherry-pick the Bible to try to tear down the point I'm making. Before you do so, though, I suggest researching the context of your reference and how it ties into the whole redemptive story. :-)
I think our tendencies to cherry-pick bits and pieces to suit our needs can lead to inconsistencies in training/parenting, and kids, of all people, can naturally detect the unreliability that follows, resulting in doubt and lack of trust, which lead to acting out.
Yes, I'm TRAINING my dragons . . . I mean children. :-) And I take it very seriously. In doing so, I'm looking for consistent and proven methods in which ultimately mercy, grace and love are demonstrated, because it's the least I can do when that is what God gave to me.
