The 4 Ps of Halter-breaking Heifers (and Kids) – Part 2

halter breaking Heifers – and kids

Last week I told the story of the heifers we brought to our place who were unbroken and untamed. We named them Abigail and Sunrise. You can read about that here.

During the course of watching Dave and our boys train these heifers,I realized how much halter-breaking heifers is like parenting children! Put these principles into training kids, and you’ll find answers. 

There were several things our gang did when working with these heifers that shaped the course of their bent and their will, just like raising kids.

The four p’s of halter breaking kids

There are four traits we must acknowledge when raising our kids. For starters, we must recognize that our kids are born with a sin-nature – just like their parents. They got it honestly and without any effort of their own. It’s there, sometimes hidden, and sometimes showing itself in full force. 

Raising kids – and heifers –  takes Four Ps. The four Ps of halter-breaking kids are: patience; perseverance; persistence; prayer.

Patience

Because we also claim this sin nature, we must give grace and patience. It’s hard to be patient when we are frustrated – or angry. Yet, the lack of patience only thwarts our attempts to discipline our kids properly. While some of us are more inherently patient than others, all of us must develop patience. We all can be impatient at times. Be certain to check your patience!

Recognize that training takes time; do not give up when there’s a failure. Patience is the quality of accepting trouble or delay without getting angry or upset. An angry person is not a patient person. Watch your anger gauge and you will know if you are patient. When we are willing to give something time to develop, we know we are patient. In your hardest days, remember that impatience only fuels disobedience (ask me how I know!)

PERSISTENCE

Another of the 4 Ps of halter-breaking kids is persistence. Keep on and continue your dedication to the task of training your kids. Don’t quit. Persistence is keeping on in the moment. It means we search for truth when our child is lying, or hunt for the source of anger instead of ignoring that it is there. Persistence is giving tenderness when you least feel warm or soft. In that moment, persist! Keep on. Do not quit. Continue your dedication to the task. Use that halter, and keep the fences in shape. This means you keep the boundaries to protect your child and yourself.

PERSEVERANCE

The third of the 4 Ps of halter-breaking kids is perseverance. Push through when you’re spent and feel like giving in – that’s perseverance. This means continued effort to achieve something in spite of difficulties or opposition. Parenting guarantees opposition – both from others and your kids. Expect it to happen so you won’t be dumbfounded when it happens. Keep pushing through. Perseverance looks ahead to the long-term result you want. Push toward the end result of an obedient, dependable child.

Prayer

The last – and most important – of the 4 Ps of halter-breaking kids is prayer. Every one of us knows what that means. We need wisdom from others who have walked this path. We need ideas from God to parent. Prayer is asking for help from God, for ourselves and for our children. We have an end-goal in mind, but we need parameters. Therefore, we must ask God what parameters He wants us to use to get us there. We keep asking, and He keeps answering.

the 4 p’s of halter-breaking kids is for life

Don’t give up when it’s hard.

Don’t give in when you’re weary.

Keep tightening that halter and leading with the rope.  Keep the fences intact and stay focused. It will be worth it when show day is here.