Sometimes, I’m amazed as I look around and see children dominating parents; I mean, really being the bosses in the God-given schools of submission tutelage. Children are, biblically, the students in the subject of submission and holy conformity and parents are the primary teachers in that education. It’s easy for parents and grandparents to slowly melt into the world’s mode of child-dictated homes using phrases that sound good; phrases like “I want my child to learn to make good choices on his own, so I just let him lead the way and learn the consequences,” or “saying no a lot to my kids can make them have negative self esteem.” (I actually read that last one in Psychology Today.)

God punished Eli in 1 Samuel 3:13 for his failure to restrain his sons. Perhaps similar failures of parents in recent decades has contributed to the rampant adult patterns we see around us of self-absorption and manipulation, often developing into narcissistic behavior.

I think there are some phrases kids often say today (with obvious variations)  that we can and should eradicate from our homes. Here are some examples:

“But what if I don’t want __________ for breakfast?”

“I will get in the bed, if you will do _________________.”

“But I really wanted to go to McDonald’s instead of this place.”

‘I hate wearing these dress shoes.”

“I’m first!”

“Yes. But I finished that snack and I’m still hungry.”

“I’m bored.”

“I don’t want to drink just water.”

“No, mom. I’m leaving that there because I am going to play with it again later.”

“It’s too hot outside today. I’m staying in here.”

“But that theater is not the kind with the comfy seats.”

When we foster this thinking, we pave the way for an unfulfilling adulthood; one in which there is never enough. We enable selfishness and selfishness never co-exists with true happiness.