Letting Go

Kids are fun,

And they are also a handful.
Don't get me wrong, I adore my boy and all of my time with him, but sometimes he can be difficult.
When he was still only one, he could run around and get into things,
And he would sometimes cry and get a little mad if we didn't let him.
But he just didn't have the words or the volume that he has now.

I often find myself struggling with him to clean up his toys, stop launching his fork off the table, eat supper with Mason and I and so on....
The trouble is that when he doesn't listen, I get frustrated, he gets difficult and the situation just doesn't go anywhere.
It usually ends in time outs or favourite toys hiding out on my closet shelf for a day or two.

When I read the book I told you about last Book-Smart Sunday, I was struck by the author's crazy idea...
Just let go.
Stop trying to control your children.
Stop getting angry that your standards for organization aren't the same as theirs.
Stop letting the flying fork put a damper on your own dinner.
Stop ruining your own meal by forcing an unwilling child to eat at the same time as you.

Because when you let go,
Little guys are happy to help a happy mom tidy up,
They will come sit down and eat when they notice that their play mates are both eating at the table,
And they'll use their fork for eating because they'll actually be hungry.

And the times that nothing will help, and they go a little crazy, at least you'll be able to let it all roll off your back.
So this is what I'm working on right now... letting go!