The Fence
There was a little boy with a bad temper.
His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that everytime he lost his temper,
to hammer a nail in the back fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Then it gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now
pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.
The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.
It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
There was a little boy with a bad temper.
His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that everytime he lost his temper,
to hammer a nail in the back fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Then it gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now
pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.
The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.
It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Yup, there once was a boy with a temper, so I decided to give it a go with Jayce. I don't have a wood fence so I had to drag a pallet out onto the driveway. We have a handful of nails hammered in today. Now that he has the hang of it, he keeps asking for more nails. I am hoping it will get old and he will not enjoy this punishment so much. My guess is, once it hits about 115 degrees he will gain control of that temper of his. 
genious! I forgot all about that story. My boys don't have tempers but I am sure I could use it for something else, only they would be like Jayce and like it too.
ReplyDeleteDon't you hate when punishments backfire? "No...you're supposed to hate it! Now what am I gonna do" is a thought that often crosses my mind.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Julia you are billiant.
ReplyDeleteI meant to type BRILLIANT, sorry!
ReplyDeleteYeah tools and boys not so much of a punishment...love how all these great stories we read get proved a little less likely now that we actually have kids...but I am with you, once that heat kicks in it won't seem so fun. I remember begging my mom to do the dishes as a kid,,,, yeah that bliss didn't last....
ReplyDelete