I am sitting in the makeshift office on the first floor that used to be the playroom and before the playroom, it was the dining room and I am just trying to capture a few minutes of peace and calm in what has been a very busy day. This is my time-out. Peanut is sleeping and Sweet Pea and Little Man are playing in the next room, well within my sight-line but far enough away to give me at least the illusion of a few minutes to myself. And I hear Little Man say "Oh Sweet Pea, if you need those toys just ask me! Don't try to get in the box. Oh let me help you." Then I see him pick her up (yes, I cringed but stayed quiet) and put her safely away from where she was trying to go head first into a bin of toys. He gave her a bunch of toys and laid on his stomach to play with her. Giggles ensued and I breathed in the love between my youngest and my oldest.
I witnessed another sweet moment this morning. I asked the boys to get their shoes on so that we could get out the door. I came around the corner to find Little Man putting Peanut's shoes on him. It was a disorganized mess of a situation that took 3 time longer than if I had stepped in to help, but I couldn't bring myself to interrupt. First Peanut sat on the floor and Little Man tried to shove his feet in the shoes but couldn't get the leverage needed. So he told Peanut to stand up and he helped him slip his foot in and adjust the heel. Then Little Man stood up and cheered for Peanut and of course, Peanut cheered for himself too!
We must be doing something right, this parenting thing with so many zig zags in the path and no known destination or set course. I wish that children came with an instruction manual so that I could just follow directions and know that I was doing what was best for them. But short of an instruction manual, witnessing sweet moments and words between my kids show that at least some of the time, we are doing just fine without that manual.
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