*September 6th*

Have I been trying to live the things I'm learning in the Parent Team counseling and intervention program? Then, among other things, I must surely be learning to overcome any tendency to control others - the directing, scheming and manipulating that can only result in my own defeat.

I will not interfere with the activities of my spouse, and will correctly assume a healthy parenting stance with my children. As I, they each must experience their own natural consequences for decisions they make each day. Within the roles of spouse and empowered parent, I will not dysfunctionally rescue nor nag to make my points in forms of manipulation to the ones I love.

Today's Reminder
Here is a vivid picture from the great novelist Tolstoy. It illustrates the kinds of situations we can sometimes create for ourselves:

"I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - "except by getting off his back."

"Teach me to leave to others their inborn right to dignity and independence, as I wish to have them leave mine to me."

[Taken and fashioned from "One Day At A Time In Al-Anon"
for general family relationships by Jim Hogue, MA, MFTI]