If..... then.... statements

If you teach a child the principles of the gospel then they will walk in the way of the Lord, If you teach a child respect then they will be obedient, If .... then.... so what happens when they don't? You can only punish kids so much that you start to wonder if they have brain damage because they obviously don't get it. The brain damage would explain so much and not have me feeling guilty, (well maybe I would still feel guilty but not about this). When will she get it? Does she know how much I suffer when I see her fail? Does she feel the love in between the arguments and punishments. 

I've been down this road before child and I know where it ends, don't make the same mistakes I did... is that a distant memory of what was said to me at one time, or is that my voice?

Mom Dad, I understand now. It's painful.

Dreams

I had a horrible dream last night. I dreamt that my oldest daughter took the car without asking and killed a person. I was crying in my dream and instead of being mad at my daughter in my dream I felt guilty for all the things I missed at preventing the situation. I felt that I had somehow missed on relaying the importance of responsibility and the need to admit to wrong doings. I felt as if I were to have caused the accident. In the dream she had first hit a person and injured them. We then spoke to her about how dangerous a car can be. we grounded her and that is when she snuck out with the car and the horrific thing happened.

When I woke up I immediately wanted to have a talk with her about how it's easier to recognize mistakes when we've gone to far. It's better that we recognize before we get there. She said "yeah, yeah, yeah, I know" I don't think it penetrated. Oh well. I'll try again this afternoon