It’s ironic that our pastor spoke on this very topic this past weekend and that we had to deal with a tongue situation at home.
You know the verses on taming the tongue, right? Here’s a snippet taken from James 3.
My favorite verses 7-10 from The Message:
This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!
This really is scary … especially when you think about everything that pours out of your mouth every day … blessings and curses.
Well … La Petite Belle has been having some challenges related to her speech, especially when it comes to her sister. She can shoot fire out of her mouth for sure.
Beau and I have been having to discipline this sweet little angel quite a bit.
Pray for me. It’s been a struggle and sometimes I feel like I’m at the end of my rope.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was when La Petite Belle called K Belle an “idiot” for the third or fourth time this week, after having been corrected three or four times. I even made her write lines, saying “I will be kind to my sister.”
Well, last night, we pulled out the big guns and resorted to the whole washing-her-mouth-out-with-soap punishment. And, not just any soap … Bath and Body Works Island Nectar hand soap. Only the good stuff for our children.
I think it may have worked because gagging and freaking out ensued, along with the dramatic crying.
The threat to repeat this procedure each time mean, ugly, hurtful words came out was given.
Let’s hope she gets it.
Beau offered to wash mine out too because I declined to get out of his “spot” on the couch by saying, “I don’t see your name on it.”
Really, honestly, we could use a good mouth-washing every once in a while.
Or every day.
Wow! Big neon arrow pointing at me on this one…."spewing sweet water and bitter"!
You do use the uppitty stuff for your kids….mine just get plain ole Dial soap. It must be the hormones. My daughter is usually sweet and loving to her little brother, but lately she has been downright mean to him.
I honestly didn't know people still did this! I say that not in "Oh my Word! That is child abuse" but in awe. My mom did this to me ONCE. She caught me swearing at my sister. I had to take a BITE out of a Zest soap bar. A bite, chew it and then I was allowed to spit it out, but it had already burned my sinus', tongue and throat.It got stuck in my teeth. I will never forget it. Now that I am a mother, when I hear my children speaking unkindly to each other it makes me cringe. When they speak rudely to an adult it makes memy blood boil.
I have been having a hard time with how society views things. And yet were told spanking is wrong, this is WRONG, that is WRONG and yet "kids" have entitlement issues, the are MEAN, the bring guns to school, you know, horrific stuff…Where's the discipline? (spelling?)
Sometimes actions are what is required. Take away the video game. Take off the door to the room. Say NO and MEAN IT.
I admire your parenting. It's hard. People judge. Saying out loud "We did this." can bring a whole lotta smack. I think you handled it well, I will be praying for La Petit Belle, yep, we ALL could use a good mouth washing!
I feel your pain! When my now 9-3/4 year old son was around 2 or so, he LOVED to say "dirty" words. It made him happy deep down in his soul! I tried everything! I even brushed his teeth with handsoap! My kids are 11, 9, 7, and 3. They don't curse, but, boy are they ugly to each other. I might just have to whip out the old toothbrush and handsoap once again! I never thought about using it on the BIG kids.
Vinegar works really well too! I used to carry a bottle in my car. Talk about nasty!!!
Oh how you make me giggle. Great job Mom! Soap never killed anyone. 🙂 Tell Beau I said better luck next time with the whole "spot on the couch" issue. Thanks for posting. Im lovin' this sermon series.
Oh I remember brushing my kids teeth with soap too! I have to say I can not remember having to do it more than twice with any child! I like the vinegar idea….unless your child is like me and likes the taste of vinegar…I know, weird.
I've done that so many times, now I use listerine in a spray bottle, and that really seems to work, they hate the taste.
I've done that so many times, now I use listerine in a spray bottle, and that really seems to work, they hate the taste.
LOL!!! Oh, good luck with that. I need to start taming my tongue NOW because I am not very nice, and I'd hate for my kids to pick up on my speech. =(
Good idea. We did it with ours too!
I got one word for you, Missy. "Bravo."
Sometimes you do what you gotta do. 🙂
I did that once with one of my girls… my second oldest. It was extremely effective!
But that was before I knew about carcinogenic/toxic soap ingredients like Triclosan and sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate.
So if I ever have to do it again (I have little boys growing up, so it's definitely a possibility), I will use vinegar… or a really yucky tasting essential oil that is actually good for their health. 🙂