Why is that our children do not want to learn from our mistakes. If my parents had ever said to me, do not do this, I would have asked why. Now I cannot guarantee that I would have done as they requested, but I do not know. However, I would have at least knew what was coming my way and I would have accepted the outcome. My parents never really gave me much direction with regards to life matters.
I have tried to teach both of my children through my mistakes, but neither of them listens. They do what they want as though they are invincible and both mom and dad have no clue. Ugh!
My son let his drivers license expire, so technically he is driving with no license. This I just found out today and told him that comes with a pretty hefty penalty of up to 6 months in jail and $1000 fine. Now this has been going on for about 2 months and he acts as if it is no big deal. He does not realize the consequences of his actions, but he has been blessed so far in that he has not been pulled over by the police because even though his tags are good he has not put his new ones on and the old ones expired in April. Double Ugh!
I offered to drive him around tonight so there would be no chance of him getting into trouble. Lets face it, he has been pushing his luck. He gets mad and tells me that everything will be fine. My response was if you get pulled over and arrested, or the car towed, and/or a ticket, then you are responsible and in fact you can spend the night in jail. He was like I will just bite the bullet and spend the night in jail then as though jail is a great place to be. Ugh!
After talking to him, I was so freaking mad and aggravated it was unreal. Why do kids have to learn everything the absolute hardest way possible? Why do they think that parents just do not understand and that they have no clue? Why do they think that parents are trying to take away their fun and their independence? Children, wake up and get a clue. Most of us have been there and we understand and we know what happens as a result of our own stupidity.
If my children want to ignore the both of us when we try to give them advice, then fine suffer the consequences of your actions. Do not come crying to me when it happens because you have been warned.
Proverbs 13:24 New International Version (NIV)
24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
I love my children, but if they need to learn by getting the proverbial 2×4 upside the head, then so be it. I know that if I had a police offer friend, I would have told him to pull over my son and scare him to death. Does this mean I will let them harm themselves? Absolutely not! That is where I draw the line in giving them their freedom. I will let them learn the hard facts of life through hard knocks as long as it does not jeopardize theirs or another persons life.