The other day I came home and learned from my mom that my seven-year-old misbehaved for most of the day.
By the time I arrived home from work, my wife had already disciplined him and served up a consequence for his behavior before darting off to work. So, instead of hearing what happened from my bride, I sat him down and asked my son what happened.
After hearing his confession, I asked him what consequence he received for his actions.
“Mommy said I can’t watch T.V. tonight,” he confessed.
“Wow, you must’ve been pretty bad,” I replied.
Yes, he nodded.
Later that night, we prepared and ate dinner. After we cleared off the table, I plopped down on the couch to relax and turned on the television, forgetting all about the incident. As his big bro and I were scrolling through the selections on Prime, I noticed my seven-year-old son was pacing in the hall.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, having forgot that he was punished.
“I’m not allowed to watch T.V.” he said with a sigh, “and I don’t know what else to do.”
“Go read a book,” I sternly added, pretending to have remembered.
“Okay,” he pouted and went off to his room.
With that, I kindly asked my mom if she would mind keeping him company. She quickly agreed to read with him, impressed that he first honestly confessed and then voluntarily forfeited television without having to be reminded. I was impressed, as well.
Later, when his mom arrived home from work, I called him out of his room and praised him in front of her, for accepting his consequences. I also came clean and told him that I had forgotten that he was punished, then boasted to my wife that her reminded me.
Together, we praised him. “You are definitely on the path of becoming a strong Christian man” I added with a sense of pride, then we sent him off to bed with hugs and kisses.
Full disclosure, as a father, I don’t know what I’m doing to bring about such an amazing behavior.
The only thing I may do differently than other dads is that I constantly remind my boys that it’s my job to make sure they grow up to be strong Christian men. I also share with them with my hope that on the day that I open my eyes in Heaven, I will find my entire family standing at my side — along with their families.
Maybe that’s the secret? Or maybe the secret is just having the love and support of a strong Christian woman as a wife?
I don’t know.
Right now, I’ll take it — either way.
James Henry is the author of Corporation YOU: A Business Plan for the Soul, and two children books: The Second Prince and Klaus: The Gift-giver to All. For six years, James taught At-Risk kids in Los Angeles. Today, he lives in New York where he continues to write — and teach. To contact James or book an interview, please contact Mark of Goldman & McCormick PR at (516) 639-0988 or Mark@goldmanmccormick.com.
Corporation YOU 
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