I’ve noticed sometimes when Bethel is in trouble, she starts to laugh. Sometimes, for example, she has laughed when I’m telling her that what she’s doing makes her mommy sad, and God sad.
This is somewhat disconcerting. My first reaction is irritation. It’s obviously rebellious behavior, right? I’ve responded somewhat harshly, “This is not funny. It’s called sin.” Usually she stops smiling and all ends well (except I don’t feel good about her laughing or my response).
The other day I asked her how she could stop being unhappy. She responded, “By laughing.”
Aha! I suspect that her response when she’s in trouble is the same response when she’s unhappy. She does not yet understand the connection between how she thinks and how she acts.
So I explained that laughing doesn’t make us happy or unselfish. I want her to understand how imortant it is to think right thoughts, but I also don’t want her to think that her actions matter not, either.
I’m still thinking on this, and whether I should bring it up again.