Fruits of the spirit - patience

I only have a few things to say on teaching patience and none of them are mind blowing, but here goes:

If I'm in the middle of doing something and one of the kids wants something I don't stop what I'm doing to take care of their needs immediately (unless they are immediate needs like when Mary got her foot stuck in the play set and was dangling upside down from it - major awesome mom moment). Usually I will tell them to wait until I'm done washing the dishes, cleaning pee off the toilet, or taking clothes back to their room and then I will help them. Especially if I'm in the middle of talking to someone, I will rarely interrupt the conversation more than telling the kids that I'm talking and they have to wait. This may seem selfish, and maybe it is. But I think it's not really about me. The world doesn't stop when we have needs. I want my kids to learn that early.

I think alone time teaches patience. I've talked about that on here before. I think it teaches patience because sometimes I will hear Mary asking me to come help her and I will tell her I'll come help after alone time. Usually it's that she can't get a leggo piece in right.

I think one way the opposite of patience rears it's ugly head is in tantrums. They throw tantrums for other reasons too, but I notice when things don't happen right away, or the way they want them, tantrums are more probable. My goal with that has always been that whenever my kids whine or throw tantrums they NEVER get their way. That's something I've been super diligent about. I always tell Mary to remember Philippians 2:14, "Do everything without whining or complaining". So if she whines, she automatically does not get what she wants. If she tantrums, she gets to go sit in a room by herself on her bed until she calms down.

Honestly that's about it! I'd love to hear others thoughts on teaching patience! And I know you are out there blog readers! You don't have to leave all the comments to my mom:)