All in a Days Parenting

For the last few days we have had trying days with Joel and Kezia. Ever get the sense that your kids are tag teaming you? Trying to wear down your parenting strategies? Oh boy. A few days ago Joel was angry with Kezia because she wouldn’t give him a toy he wanted. So he came storming home to tattle. Carl told him that he can’t just take toys away and Joel became so enraged that he threw a lawn dart at the screen door towards Carl. Then the next day, Kezia was being very disrespectful and when Carl scolded her, she said, “You’re not my Daddy”. And yesterday the boys here filled up holes with water and when Joel tried to sneak home and change his wet shoes, Carl caught him and questioned him. So Joel went ballistic and screamed and hollered. And of course each night we have a new battle to fight with the bedtime routine. I’m sure the timeout corner has wear patterns just from this week.

Well, after lunch today at the school, Joel, Kezia, Asha, and I decided since it was so nice outside, we would go for a walk. We went walking along the pathways on FPU campus and stopped at the teeter totter for a while. Then we continued off campus along the side street. Joel and Kezia were chattering away and actually getting along, when Joel said to me, “Mom, there’s sure a lot of garbage on the side here. We should pick it up”. I was a bit surprised, but I said to him if he wanted to he could. He started off with a cup, then he encouraged Kezia to pick up some too. Soon their hands were full of garbage and so they started dumping it in the bottom of the stroller. They were proud as punch to help clean up. All along the street they picked up garbage until we got back to our place. That melted my heart and I was so proud of them. Some days I want the kids to grow up faster, to grow out of the temper tantrums, the messes, but days like today, I wish that time would stand still.

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