We went out to eat the other day and I looked across the table at my kids and they are not my little boys any more. They are young men and very handsome, if I do say so myself. Sitting there I could not believe how much they have grown up they are practically men. It made me think back when they were little and all the funny things they did and I did to get them to this point.
From the time Sprat was born the hubbs and I would read to him and say prayers for him before bed. When Sprat was almost three he said something about monsters being in his room and that he was afraid to go to sleep. The hubbs and I read to him and said prayers but Sprat was still concerned about monsters, I got creative and decided to do the banish the monsters dance. Yes, I am that mom. The banish the monsters dance went like this; I clapped really loud and shouted in each corner of the room for all of the monsters to get out and stay out of this room. I would then jump around and clap in a circle and yell "out, out, out." This always made Sprat laugh, which was the point, so that his last feelings before going to bed were happy. You have to be silly sometimes, you cannot be a serious parent all of the time. This worked for the next several years. The hubbs and I have always made it a point to say prayers with the boys before bed and we still do. They are in separate rooms now so we do prayers in the living room before they go up for bed. I am so thankful that they still want to say prayers together.
When Sprat was in elementary school I started knitting. He saw me knitting one day and asked what I was doing. I told him I was knitting a prayer shawl and he wanted to know what that was. I explained that I was praying while I was knitting and that who ever received the shawl would receive my prayers. Sprat had been struggling with some things in school and asked if he could have one for school. I giggled just a little but I knew what he really meant. He wanted something to give him comfort during school. I crocheted him a bookmark and we tied it in one of his notebooks. I prayed over that bookmark for him and I told him that when ever he felt bad he could look at that bookmark and know that he was not alone and that I would see him soon. Big T went through something similar while in elementary school and he also took a crocheted bookmark that we had prayed over with him to school. I think elementary school is one of the hardest times in the lives of our kids. I would have done almost anything to give my kids some type of comfort during this time of their little lives.
We are getting ready for final exams and EOG's and EOC's. I hate all of the testing and rating of students and teachers. The hubbs and I do our best to make these days fun and a little less stressful. I know I have posted about this before but it does need to be shared again. On days of exams or EOG's we take the boys out for a good breakfast. We try to make the day special and not so stressful. I got this idea from my sister she started this tradition with her girls when they were in school and I thought it was a fabulous idea so when Sprat was in middle school we started the exam day breakfast. Not sure where we will take the boys to eat this year but we usually let them pick the place.
Living and loving in the little moments of my kids lives. I am so lucky to have these crazy boys and my crazy husband too. They get it honest.
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