Moms Who Say No
Posted on June 5, 2008
Filed Under Humor, Focus on the Family, Personal, Parenting, Dr. Dobson's Broadcast
I’m married to a wonderful woman. She’s a terrific wife, and offers a lot of grace toward my many idiosyncrasies. As a mother, Dena’s heart for her kids is evident. She gives her all for our children - and could have an easier life if she’d be less interested in their character and heart and soul. But she is committed to developing responsible adults who love God and others. So she invests…and invests…and invests. I’ve learned so much about good parenting from her.
Among the many things Dena does well: she says no. Many permissive parents have a hard time denying their children’s requests - who wants to be disliked? My wife knows, however, that kids need an authority figure, not a friend. So while she often says, Yes,” she is also quite comfortable in drawing the line, saying “No” and sticking to it. That’s what good moms (and dads) have to do.
Another mom who thinks that same way is Julie Ann Barnhill, who says,
“You have to draw a line in the sand, and I think you have to communicate that verbally and then follow through … You don’t apologize or quantify or reconsider what you’re doing. That’s part of the difficulty of being ‘one tough mother.’ “
Hear more of Julie Ann’s wit and wisdom about motherhood here.
And be encouraged, Mom, to choose and win the right battles with your children!
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I loved listening to “One Tough Mother” online, and then reading this blog. My children often say that “Mom’s favorite word is ‘NO’”. While I used to take offense at that statement, I now own it. I am trying to bring my children up in a God-honoring home. If that means I frequently say “no”, then as long as my focus is on what is best for my children, I own “NO!”
Dear Dr. Dobson, I really enjoyed the 2 days with Juli Ann Barnhill, but one thing she said I couldn’t agree with: I hope she didn’t mean it when she said her mother pulled her hair. I don’t believe in pulling children’s hair as a punishment at all, never! Do you agree? Anyway, it struck me the wrong way. Thanks for listening. Love y’all, Brigitte