“Make a good choice!”

“Make a good choice!”

 This is a phrase my kids hear a lot. 
“Make a good choice!”  When they are in the valley of decision, I try to get them to think about the decision they are about to make. (“Do you really want to make the choice to use that mean voice with your brother?” or “Do you really want the consequences that come along with disobeying what I have asked you to do?” or “ Do you really want to continue that poor behaviour and be sent to your room for “room time”?)

 Often, the gentle reminder is what is needed to push them over into making a good choice.

 I have been trying to use this technique on myself lately.  I’m thinking of eating candy that needs to be thrown away and I can tell myself, “Make a good choice Thora.”  (This means to throw it away, not to get rid of it by eating it even though at the time that doesn’t seem like such a bad choice.)

 Or, I might be thinking of checking my church e-mail at night when I am with my family and prompt myself to think, “Make a good choice Thora.”  What is your priority here?” (It is too easy for me to get caught up in some situation at church which seems to need my attention when my children really are my priority.) I must make the choice to not even look at my in-box.

 Sometimes I follow up the “Make a good choice” comment with, “Is that really the choice you want to make?”   This is also a good reminder for myself.  Sometimes, I just need to take time to think.  This is helpful when replying to e-mails…especially if you’ve had your feelings hurt. 

It is usually a good choice to wait before hitting “send.”

 Anybody want to share a time where it benefitted you to stop and think about the choice you were about to make before you made it?

 Blessings,

Thora