The Boss

A little over two years ago I gave birth to an adorable little angel, Eden. Today, I’m not necessarily calling her angel all the time, but she is a huge bright spot in our lives. She is sweet and affectionate, but she also tests my husband and me by the hour.

One of our battles with her is regarding what she eats. Eden loves food. She could eat from the time she crawls out of bed until bedtime almost without pause—as long as the food is something she likes. Fortunately for us, she is not very picky. Our job is to moderate her eating, making sure it’s nutritious and that she doesn’t eat too much.

There are many times when she wants more fruity snacks or more pretzels and we simply have to put our foot down. She can’t eat all the time, and she can’t always have her first choice. As much as she begs and fusses, the answer is still no. We have the power to keep her from having anything at anytime.

Sometimes I wish I had my own mother hen looking down at me and saying “no more” when I’ve had enough—and enforce it too. Would I be whining and begging like Eden for more? Probably!

Being the boss of our own lives means we have the power to give in to our spontaneous desires and unbalanced wishes. What if we were to be as strict with ourselves as we are with our kids or those who work for us?

You’ve probably recognized that we’re talking about self-discipline. The crucial time we need to have self-discipline is when we are only accountable to ourselves. Let’s start the self-discipline today by stating our personal expectations and then putting our foot down when we might want seconds on those “fruity snacks.” Our bodies could use a little mothering.