Emery squeezes every ounce out of life. She's four-years-old. Full of spunk. Nothing gets past her.
It was a "bad week" at preschool for Emery. Not listening and disobedience sentenced her to time-out and the principal's office. All of which Emery took in stride.
The next week, her dad, Rob, had a heart-to-heart talk with Emery about her behavior and each morning she made a "pinkie-promise" to be good. It worked ... until Thursday morning. Emery refused to make the "pinkie-promise." "Daddy," Emery explained, "I've been good for 3 days and I don't think I can do it again. I think it's going to be a bad day today." However, Emery pulled out another good day.
Then, the weekend came. Emery went to three birthday parties/Easter egg hunts. She misbehaved at all three. She refused to participate or play with the other children. She whined, cried, and clung to her mommy. The final Easter egg hunt at church got so bad that Rob took Emery home early.
After Emery's tears dried, they had a father-daughter talk. Rob asked Emery why she continued to misbehave when she knows it's unacceptable and she missed out on all the fun. "But daddy," Emery said, "It's so easy to be bad and it's so hard to be good!"
"That's right," Rob responded, "that's life."
Emery didn't like her dad's response. She thought about it for a moment and said, "I think I need to talk to Granddad about this."
She did.
We had a great talk. Her childlike honesty is refreshing. She's more honest than I am. And she's right: it is easier to be bad than it is to be good. Unlike, my granddaughter, we're reluctant to admit it.
Now I understand what Jesus meant when he said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14
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