My children

Shalom.

I just wanted to share an experience I had today with my oldest daughter. I had called home from work to discuss some business with my wife, but before I could even mention it, my wife begins to inform me that my oldest daughter locked herself in the bathroom on the first floor and gave herself a haircut. This was disturbing because she had the forethought to lock the bathroom door, which says she knew what she was doing. The house has two full bathrooms, and the first floor lavatory can be locked via a latch that is at my daughter's level. And I don't even know when she learned that there was a lock and how the lock works. She used scissors, a child's pair of scissors, that my wife bought for her arts and craft projects.

When I heard that news I thought "What in the world!?" I was totally surprised and disappointed. I was disappointed because I had already had words with my daughter concerning locking the bathroom door because she has done it in the past. I was scared because I thought what if she harmed herself while in the bathroom. Thank GOD that she didn't harm herself. Then my immediate thought on punishment was spanking her, and I was unanimous in that decision. Oh yeah, and my daughter actually wanted to talk to me when she realized I was on the phone with her mother. She told me she was reading her Bible. (How about that? Coincidence?) Now, you can't tell me that kids are not smart. By the way, my daughter that performed this is three years of age. So her telling me that she was reading her Bible made me pause for a second. But I was still set on spanking her rear end for what she had done.

So, as I made my trek home after work, I debated whether or not to still beat her. I went back and forth. I thought, maybe this is a cry for attention, or perhaps she saw a fellow student pretend at school. I recalled that she did lock the bathroom door before and I told her that was wrong. Because of the previous offense with locking the door and that she should have asked to use the scissors, I resolved that I would still beat her.

When I walked through the door, I was greeted by guess who? I was greeted by my daughter who had given herself the haircut. She hugged me and went trotting off to the kitchen. After I took my coat off, I sat my daughter down and explained to her that I was disappointed in her cutting her hair. I told her I was concerned for her safety when she locked herself in the bathroom. After that was said, I spanked her on her legs a few times. She cried, of course. I took her with me to the dinner table to eat dinner. She ate a little piece of fish and fell asleep.

I had called my mother before I left workand asked if that is normal behavior for children. My mom said that my brothers and I tried to cut each others hair but not our own hair.

With the introduction of my children to my life, my life has taken a change of course that I could never have imagined. This change in course has been very rewarding and very challenging at the same time. The only thing I would have done differently is purchase a four-door car instead of a two-door car. Prior to my wife and I having children, my wife wanted a coupe for her new car. And, at the time, I didn't see a problem with that. But oh, if I knew then what I know now...

Blessings.