It's not about the bow

There’s a lady at church who has 2 daughters.  One in high school.  The other entering high school in the fall.  

I remember when I was younger and visited this congregation with my family, I would see these two girls with their BIG OVER SIZED BOWS.

At the time I was a tomboy.  Bows were way too girly.  I would never make my kid wear those.

Fast forward several years…

I want Wren to wear bows.  Like even with her pajamas.  And THE BIGGER THE BETTER!

She goes to my sister-in-law’s house every day and for the most part stays at home.  My sister-in-law isn't really into bows and I don't want to make her job harder than it already is.  So I don’t feel bad that she doesn't wear a bow while she’s there. 

But come church time, grocery time, any other time I want her to have a bow in her hair.

However, she feels differently.  She rips it out any opportunity she gets.  Especially when she’s tired.

The other night I went up to this mother of two daughters who wore big bows and let her know that Wren needs to come to bow boot camp.

This lady also baby-sits kids throughout the school year and I've heard that she has trained many a child to keep a bow in their hair.

She tells me, “You have to be consistent.  You have to smack her little hand when she takes it out.  You have to be stern.”

I reply with, “But sometimes I get tired of doing it over and over.  I feel silly because it’s just a bow.”

Then comes the wisdom…”It’s not just a bow.  This is setting you up for discipline in the future.  This is you showing her you mean business.  Practice your consistency with this, something that seems small, and it will make it better in the future when it comes to bigger things.  You can do it!  It’s not about the bow.”

So, if you see me in public getting onto my child because she won’t keep her bow in her hair, now you know that’s it’s not about the bow. 

This is the beginning.  The beginning of our journey.  The beginning of our journey through discipline and raising a respectful, gracious young lady.

IT’S. NOT. ABOUT. THE. BOW.