"I was just..."

Andrea was enthusiastically looking through some drawers at her grandma's house. She had a plan in mind to help set the table. As she was digging in the drawer, her mom instructed, "Andrea, that's enough. Shut the drawer." Andrea, however, kept digging through the drawer. Her mother then repeated, "Andrea, no more."

Andrea replied, "I was just..."

Andrea had a plan in mind but she needed to obey her mother first. She needed to stop doing what she was doing to demonstrate first time obedience. Then she could ask her mother if she could explain her intention. Mom can then give the appropriate instruction.

This mother perceptively responded, "When you say, 'I was just...', you are not obeying Mommy." This mother knew that this was a small way for Andrea to have the last word and to continue to do what she wanted to do while trying to provide a proper excuse. Obedience is "All the way, right away, and with a happy face."

Sometimes we find it hard to address situations that we feel are minor or "no big deal," but if we don't, we are cultivating an attitude regarding obedience. Beware when your child says, "I was just..."