"Yes ma'am, I'd Be Happy To!" are words I never thought I'd hear (willingly) from my boys, ages six and four, but thanks to a tip in Michelle Duggar's book I now hear them regularly. In fact, a few times I even heard them at Wal-mart and received plenty of approving nods - quite a contrast from the usual looks I receive when all three boys are acting like ping-pong balls in the isles.
After reading about the "obedience game" in the book The Duggars: 20 and Counting!
, I called the boys into the living room, explained the rules and they, having mountains of energy, were ready for the challenge.
I said something like, "Joel, run as fast as you can down the hall and back, jump three times in front of the couch then tag my hand!" and in order for him to go he would have to say, "Yes ma'am, I'd be happy to!" then follow the directions. The boys liked the funny challenges and by the end of the game they got over the initial weirdness of saying "yes ma'am, I'd be happy to". At that point, to reinforce these newfound manners, I explained, "You will get a check mark every time you say yes ma'am today and at the end of the day I'll give you a penny for each one." At that moment it was game-on!
Over the next few days, they competed to see who could get the most marks, and used every opportunity to say "yes ma'am, I'd be happy to!". They earned over a dollar in pennies, and more than that, gained the ability to obey quickly, respectfully and with a joyful attitude. It also gave Paul and I the opportunity to teach them that immediately and happily is the way we must obey God; because God is good, good, good and very wise, and He knows how to lead us in such a way that keeps us close to Him, protected from satan's tricks.
Teaching our children obedience is far more than training them not to embarrass us in public, it's training them to walk with Christ. And how wonderful that there are simple ways, such as the obedience game, to teach them principles that will carry them through life's storms, one obedience at a time.
