Puppets.

Obedience.  Big O.  Capital.  ROAR!  Dogs do it.  Obey your master.  Master!  Thousands of hands.  All in unison.  Master!

I have a big confusing problem with OBEDIENCE.  I also have a problem with LACK O' OBEDIENCE.  Its all a part of my circular thinking lately.  See here.

I tell Sammy-dog sit.  He sits.  Stay.  He stays.  He doesn't have much thought beyond that.  Sit.  Get treat.  Yum.  This is obedience.  Doing something because you were told to.

I know what dis-obedience is.  Its the kid in the back of church.  Running around.  Screaming.  Ignoring his embarrassed parental unit.  Annoying me because my kids are in the nursery and I was hoping for a few minutes of "quiet".

Where's the middle?  The non-spirit-squashing middle?  The other day Z came to me and told me he was going outside.  Fine.  But no mudpies, I said.  I'm not all mud-pie-hatin', but it would be twice in the last three days and the clean up is RI-DAMN-DICULOUS.  This is what I found 10 minutes later:

I'm.  Tired.

But shouldn't little boys be able to make mudpies?  All playin' with the worms and learning about nature?  Isn't Charlotte Mason based on this?

But I freaking told you not to.

I talked to my co-worker about this yesterday.  She's a 'seasoned' homeschooler and parent and I LOVE HER.  I told her lately we've had 'issues' and I think

OBEDIENCE

is confusing.  Her answer?  Well, God did tell us to be obedient to Him and we need to teach our children to as well.  ......Thank you, but now you're talking about ME.  I'M supposed to be obedient to someone.  Do as you're told.  Because you're told.  Don't think about it.  I don't know where I stand on that... and it's just one big rabbit hole if you dwell too long.

Call it by another name then, she said.  Followed up by, "Nobody likes that kid in church that doesn't know how to behave."  Mmm.  Hmmm.  Point made.