Why? Why? Why?

Have you ever had to explain something to a child?  They ask you, "Why?" a lot, right?  In fact, they usually ask that more than once in the same conversation.  They really are trying to understand the world around them.

In church on Sunday, I showed a clip from Despicable Me where Gru gives rules to the adopted girls that have come to live with him.  He's not much of a kid person, so his rules don't make any sense to them.  They wonder how they can live without "touching anything" or "making any sounds."  Obviously, he had a lot to learn.  (By the way, most of the kids quoted each word of the scene while it was playing--I guess lots of homes got this as a Christmas gift this year:).

My reason for showing the clip was to  compare Gru to God, Who has given us lots of wisdom to live by in the Bible.  When we follow God's "rules," life goes well for us.  When we stray away from them, we get into trouble.  Unlike Gru's rules, God's rules make sense.  There is thoughtful, loving reasoning behind each law He gives us to follow.  That's why I'm willing to follow Him, because His way really is best for my life.

This is so important when thinking through boundaries and rules for our kids.  If you have weird rules that don't make any sense, as your kids get older, they will see right through them and be frustrated.  Be willing to explain the reasoning behind them and be open to dialogue on the matter.  This is a conversational generation we are raising, and they're not just being disrespectful.  Dialogue is an important value to them.  If you want respect, be willing to give respect as well.