Solutions anyone?

Raising its ugly head--PRIDE

If there is anything I hate it is pride. In my opinion pride is the root of all sin. A year ago, I was doing a bible study and it was talking about pride and I remember thinking, "I don't struggle with pride. I am not a prideful person." Then I prayed, "God, please show me any areas where I may have pride in my life." I didn't really expect an answer. Boy, was I wrong! Starting with the fact that I had pride thinking that I wasn't prideful! HA! I really had to repent for my prideful heart in many areas of my life. It is a daily struggle.

So, now the point of why I am even writing this. As many of you know, I homeschool. We are really enjoying it, but I am starting to find that Grant, my firstborn, is getting really full of himself because he is the oldest so he is naturally ahead in everything over his brothers. He makes comments like, "I'm a star!" (we have never said that to him) and "I'm the smartest", etc. But here is where it really rears its ugly head. In matters of discipline. He is 6 years old and for the first time in his life he is thinking for himself and not relying on our ways of thinking. We already see his battle between the flesh and the spirit.

It is very hard for him to humble himself and we can't force humility because then it won't be true humility. It is so hard for us to know what to do. Not to mention the high drama on top of all of this pride. If things don't go his way the next thing we know he is acting like he is in some broadway production called "Woe is Me".

I really liked when he was 4 years old. He was so sensitive to the ways of the Lord at that age. It is the same for Eli right now at age 4. If they could just stay 4 forever things would be so easy. We didn't feel prepared for this. Grant never whined and complained until he was 6yo. How do you teach them to have a cheerful heart and to choose joy? AUGH! We try by example so we are trying to plant the seeds, but I can't wait a whole season for the seed to grow or else I am going to start planting my seeds of frustation and discontent in him as well. If anyone has any solutions please share.