A Happy Heart...

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
~Proverbs 22:6
So a few weeks ago, our days were looking like this...

So after praying for an extra dose of patience, we implimented this...

This is our "Happy Heart Chart".  Jake decorated it himself. Every morning after breakfast we look at this together and talk about what it means. Our version is Do ALL things with a happy heart and without throwing a fit. Throughout the day we visit this on the front of the fridge. When he does things (picks up toys, has patience, obeys the 1st time) with a happy heart, we go and talk about how he has a happy heart. Of course we visit it when he throws fits as well, and we talk about how his behavior does not produce a happy heart in him or Mommy. As the days progressed when I asked him to do something and if I saw a fit coming on, I asked "are you going to have a happy heart?" A majority of the time he answers yes and does what is asked. There are also times that I ask, he says yes, and still doesn't do what he's asked. I use those as "training" opportunities. A few days in, we implimented the happy heart stickers. For the more difficult tasks (coming in from outside, having patience when Mommy can't pick him up at the exact moment he wants or not throwing a fit when Mommy says "no" to watching a DVD) he gets a happy heart sticker to put on his chart. He REALLY likes to put the stickers on his page. He also likes to take the stickers off, so there aren't as many on there now as there could be. Of course we didn't see results over night, and it took extra prayer and patience and CONSISTENCY from Mom and Dad. We had to continually remind ourselves that we are training Jake up in the way he should go. We are imperfect, but we can point him to the one that IS perfect and what HIS word says. 

This week has been A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! He has been a different kiddo. We have had SO much fun and the fits have TREMENDOUSLY decreased. Of course there are still reminders of having a happy heart, but for the most part... WOW... I am SO PROUD of him!!

Now his chart looks like this...

and Jake looks like this...

I know this is only ONE of the many challenges to come.. and this one is NOT complete. It's an ongoing lesson for Jake, Mommy and Daddy. I am so blessed that The Lord has allowed us the oportunity to train up this precious gift from God. We LOVE our Jake-Man!! He melts our heart more every day!!