Yesterday was a pretty busy day. Started out like normal…rushing around the morning trying to get the kids ready for school in time. I’m pretty sure that every parent deals with clothes wars with their kids. Your kids want to wear one thing, yet you’ve already set something else out for them. By the time they get around to putting them on and realize that they don’t want what you set out, it’s time to go. Does anyone feel my pain?
Yesterday was no different. 5 minutes before departure, Emily had a meltdown. I have to admit, she did well to obey…even though she wanted nothing to do with what Leah set out for her, she put it on…mumbling under her breath the whole time. We’re firm believers that we’re the parents…not puppets. Our kids do what we ask…they obey. Most of the time, our kids will fight it, we hear what they have to say, then stay on mission…”mom and dad said this…that’s what you need to do…please obey.”
So Emily put up her normal fight, we held our ground…”put the clothes on Emily.” Then she changed everything. She came into the kitchen reluctantly with the clothes on…finally we thought. Then she dropped to her knees and started crying. “What’s wrong Emi?”
I don’t like these clothes…I don’t feel like me!
I didn’t put up my normal parental front…”stop crying, you’re not getting your way.” We stopped, wrapped our arms around her and just let her get it out. Lately she’s been asking me if she’s as pretty as girls/women on TV. Of course I gave the standard answer…”of course you are, you’re beautiful!” But yesterday was different. I looked her in the eyes and told her she was beautiful…no matter what she was wearing. It was a great moment for us. I sat down…late for school…and took the time to let her talk it out. It was important to her. It made my day that she opened up.
Sometimes I get mixed up on what I should be doing as a parent. “Don’t! Stop! Quit! Do this! Do that! Obey!” are my normal mantras. I can’t forget that my real job is to teach. Yesterday was a teachable moment. To give her the tools to handle life…that’s my calling. If I don’t, someone/something else will.
Holy responsibility batman! That moment was huge because it had nothing to do with clothes…it was all about inner beauty. That was just one monumental moment…that started with clothes. What’s the one about God going to start with? Scares me…I want to get it right!