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I have been taking a parenting seminar from a Love and Logic consultant named Amy Egan.  Not only does she really know her stuff, but she is a remarkable and wise person and I have enjoyed getting to know her.  It is a 6-week program (once a week for 2 hours) based on the book, Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Fay. 

I love the approach that this parenting "style" gives – it encourages parents to give their kids LOTS of choices.  It seeks to give kids the control that they yearn for.  It uses empathy (something I'm having to really work on) with natural consequences.  It doesn't "rescue" children from sometimes painful consequences, but allows them to make mistakes and experience the pain of mistakes while they're young (when the consequences are minor).  It encourages you to not be a drill seargant (which I am very guilty of).  It encourages parents to give LOTS of compliments.  It encourages parents to not criticize, but to not swoop in and save the day either.

I believe that this is similar to how God parents us!  He gives us the ability to choose – agency at its finest!  He allows us to experience the natural consequences of our actions.  He doesn't save us from ourselves all the time!  He does extend empathy and mercy and love to us always – even in the midst of those bad choices! 

It's not a pefect system, of course.  It has its flaws.  And I certainly will NEVER be perfect at it.   My nature is not always the "love and logic" way.  But I really want to be better.  And I am enjoying the stretching process of becoming a better parent.  It has been a process of self-discovery.