OH, DEAR!

Growing up I guess you could best describe me and my brother and sister as pretty easy-going, compliant children. We got along well, even had all the same friends. Certainly not from a perfect family (as nobody is), but we certainly gave our parents no "trouble." Grab us by the hand and we'd pretty much follow you wherever, tell us to do something and we would do it. I suppose that's why I had the notion that whenever I seen a child in the store pitching a fit, acting out in any sort of manner; i,e., biting, pushing, pulling, screaming, running through the isles, I just assured myself it had something to do with the parenting going on in that home. And while I believe parenting plays a big roll in the part of a child's life, I have certainly come to realize that those sinful little creatures also have their own personalities as well, set apart from maybe even the rest of the family. And needless to say, I've eaten every single WORD I've ever spoken out of my mouth about someone else's child. AND I MEAN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!

Caleb is a very independent little guy, and let's say even a little competitive, at least when it comes to his big sister. Laci is two years older than him and so of course she wins everything; most board games, computer games, races to the end of the driveway and back. He is the fastest running four-year-old I've ever seen, but her legs are longer, making her faster, usually. And she's pretty fast herself (they have lots of practice running, you see). So he gets a little bent out of shape every time she beats him at something. As a matter of fact, downright mad!

They both are on the same swim team, they both play violin. They do almost everything together. So I'm thinking it is getting time to let him venture out on his own here soon. He will be 5, and maybe he needs to find something to do that doesn't involve sister dear, like a sport or something.

Yesterday we were headed out the door to music lessons and they decided they would race to the end of the driveway for me to pick them up in the van(as they do almost daily should we be going somewhere). Laci beat him to the end of the driveway and stood in his spot (yes, you heard me right), and he got so mad and leaned over and bit her on the arm, teethmarks and all. Laci is screaming bloody murder and Caleb is swearing he didn't mean to do it. What did mother dear do? I got mad and BIT him back. Now that I had everyone screaming and crying and shoving them in the car, headed to music lessons, I climb in behind them - preaching! How is that for a loving, nurturing, teachable moment? They couldn't have gotten better care had I packed them up and sent them to public school that day.

Music lessons only last 30 minutes, we were 10 minutes late, so only 20 minutes this day, and all I could think about was "what a wasted trip." We got home and said our apologies and loved on one another and forgave each other. And then Caleb asked me to not tell his daddy, to which I could not make any promises.

Well, that afternoon when Greg drove up, we all piled into the house. When asked how our day went, we all scrunched up on the couch like doom and double gloom. We all proceeded to tell what happened and he just stared at us in complete silence. A few minutes passed and he still said nothing. I suppose he was thinking to himself, should I turn around and go back to work or what. I suppose he didn't know what to think or say, except that we were all crazy.

Five minutes later he called Caleb into his room and talked to him about his behavior. (He has yet to talk to me about mine. But I'm quite sure I already know what he thinks about mine).

Laci and I had a little talk last night about how Caleb is the boy and he has this older sister that beats him at everything and how hard that is for him. She quickly understood what I was saying. I MEAN SHE REALLY GOT IT! So I sort of asked her if maybe sometimes Caleb could beat her to the end of the driveway, and maybe even help him win a few board games. And she was very happy to do so.

Such an oxymoron if I ever heard one. Laci is the one that I'm usually having to talk to about persevering through those things that seem hard for her, when she's trying something new, a math problem, learning a new song. And now I'm asking her to not try so hard!

So today she raced her brother to the end of the driveway to check the mail with me, and she let him win. So today, for us, was a teethmark-free day :)

As my mom likes to say, you WILL eat even more of your words time and time again before they ever leave your house!

Thanks for the encouragement, mom!