Kids live in a world of absolutes. They have an all or nothing attitude about life.
When you won’t let them do something … “You never let me.” After you make them clean up … “You always do this.” If something doesn’t go their way … “I hate this.” Or – heaven forbid – you make them try something new … “I can’t.”
Luckily, their absolutes are completely relative to their emotions, and therefore, continually change like the tide. Everything isn’t always as black and white as they make it out to be.
But the world does certainly seem more straight-forward in an all or nothing approach.
And thinking about it, it’s the people who have this view of the world who ultimately end up changing the limits. The risk takers, the inventors, the entrepreneurs – maybe they are the people who never really grew up. They aren’t afraid to challenge the world as we know it. They stand up and say we can never move forward if something doesn’t change.
People are attracted to the idea of superheroes. These larger-than-life defenders possess extraordinary talents, are fearless and courageous. They are essentially a better version of ourselves, and everything we wish we could be.
Yes, we just took our boys to see the new Avengers movie. And they have since been running around the house with nothing else on their minds. I have one who thinks he’s made of iron and flies, and the other says he’s turning green when he is mad. And now, as it’s the in-thing to do, he gets mad a lot. No, I didn’t give him the go-ahead to tear up his room, but I don’t think the Hulk ever asks for permission.
Yes, it’s obvious, superhero skills and abilities fascinate and excite.
Back in the real world, most of us realize nobody is born with superhuman-strength, or the ability to save the entire world all on their own.
But, at the same time, I’ve realized it’s important to not waste time thinking about what we can’t do, and focus on what we can. Because what we can do, does matter.
“Mommy, look. Mommy, look. I got dressed by myself.”
Yes, I can clearly see that.
“Mommy, look. Mommy, look. I am going to say my ABCs.
Now watch, mommy. I’m going to say my ABCs with my eyes closed.”
Ha, OK. What a very rare and exceptional talent.
“Mommy, look, Mommy, look. I went to the potty. Come see. You didn’t look. No, look Mommy.”
Yes, I see. I’m so proud.
This is any given day at my house. My kids seek constant attention and want me to watch them do absolutely everything. And when there’s something they want, they find a way get it, one way or another.
We all want our families to be great teams – ones that can both work hard and play hard together to achieve common goals.
At my house, we’re in everything together, and we give it our best to collectively handle whatever is thrown our way.
But, sometimes my kids take this thinking a bit too literally. Whatever I do, wherever I go, I have two little shadows behind me. Yes, I enjoy their company, but there are a few things I would prefer to do on my own. While I have explained the concept of privacy to my children, they certainly don’t see it as a priority or a necessity. To them, it’s quite straightforward; even mundane tasks prove to be more fun and entertaining when we are all together.
And, it just so happens, my boys enjoy being in the bathroom more than anywhere else in the house. I think it’s the indoor water park that attracts them. They love to take baths, wash their hands a million times, and flush the toilet over and over. They like showing off in the water so much, it’s kind of like having a front row seat in the splash zone at SeaWorld.
Paradise brings various thoughts to mind. For me, it’s a hot beach, cool ocean breeze and time away from it all.
Unfortunately, this year, there will be no great escape. Since my husband was involved in the international oil strike, we’ve decided we should allocate our money to other things and skip going on a big trip this year.
Of course, I’ve reasoned we can do all sorts of other fun things like spending time on the boat, biking and day trips. Somehow Grayson Lake is not quite the beach, but everything is always better somewhere near the water.
Universally, people of all ages relate to music. Music makes us want to dance and sing, and recalls memories to our minds – some happy, some sad – but always seeming to shed light on simple truths in our lives.
Sometimes songs can even take us back to a particular moment in time, and it’s like we are there, living it all over again. Maybe you are on a family road trip, 16 and driving your car too fast, with your first love or even saying your final goodbyes.
Music has the ability to draw us back, by making us feel exactly as we did then.
Days and moments pass us by all the time. It becomes easy to not fully appreciate what you have until it’s gone. And sometimes, we don’t even realize the significance of a moment until later in life.
My dad is no longer here, and yet I think about him all the time. It’s beginning to get harder to remember the sound of his voice. In fact, it’s funny, but it seems I can recollect it best in memories of him singing to me as I would go to sleep as a child.
Kids like to pick their battles. Some throw fits over eating vegetables, while others develop a fear of water at bath time. For my kids, it’s simple, they just hate going to bed. And their main objective in life these days is to do the opposite of what I want. So when I want peace and quiet, they want chaos.
My boys try to throw all-night pajama parties by explaining they’re nocturnal creatures, and they’re allowed to stay up all night. I have to put my foot down and say, no, you are not nocturnal, and you need your sleep. Yes, I admit to them, animal parents must be nicer than we are.
When this doesn’t work, I try to take the scientific approach and explain our senses are better adapted during daylight hours, while some animals are better adapted for the dark. But this doesn’t stop them … after all, we have battery-operated flashlights and electricity on our side.
