Li'l B checkin' the mike. Yup! It works, sometimes.
I know you parents/caregivers have gone through the "I may as well talk to a wall" routine. Some days I feel like all I do is yell at my children, and by that I don't mean yelling at them because they are misbehaving, but yelling just to be heard. I can say, "No," until I feel like if I say it one more time, I'm going to go running and screaming from the house. Or just speaking loudly a lot to avoid injuries from them not understanding exactly why they cannot jump from the couch onto a chair. *Oi Vey* And was everyone aware that we are responsible for the people these little people become, was everyone aware of that?! The things we teach them are the things they will carry through life; it will be how they live their lives! (Please take a moment to grab that brown paper bag with me to breathe into. Inhale, exhale. Repeat.) Okay, moving on, shall we?
Everyday our little ones are learning. And a big way they learn is by watching us. (Yes, you constantly have eyes on you, every moment of everyday. Just a tad disturbing, isn't it?) Always watching, always taking in how we respond to circumstances. But another way they learn is by what we are teaching them. Now, this is where a lot of times, I almost walk over to the same wall I feel I should be talking to, and envision ramming my head into it. Especially with Li'l B. Now, it's not his fault, and his big sister went through this phase, but seriously. Don't children learn by repetition? By this point, Li'l B should know just by me raising my eyebrows that the next word out of my mouth is going to be, "No!" But he doesn't. Or should I say, the little monster is testing me. And yes, he's very, very good at it.
Recently, my angel of a mother kept Li'l B so that Miss G and I could have some "mommy-daughter" time. I fretted every second of every minute of everyday because I know how he can be lately at home, or especially in a store. I call her up to check in on how he's been. Very cautiously I ask the question...."So.......how's he been?" I grimace, waiting for her to say, "Maybe you should come get him, he screams constantly and I can't get any grocery shopping done." Instead, she exclaims, "Oh, he's been great! Such a little helper and when we went to the store, he helped me push the cart." I sat stunned. "You are talking about Li'l B, right?" She laughed and said, "Honey, kids are more likely to misbehave with their parents. You did it, and now they are doing it." I had been trying to get this kid to hold onto the grocery cart for I don't know how long and he would always scream in the store, "Mommy, hold me!" I received looks, oh yes, those looks. And here he goes and acts just like I wanted him to for someone else. So, wait. Why exactly am I upset by this? He is behaving how I have showed him is the acceptable way to behave. He is helping, he is not throwing tantrums. Eureka! He was listening this whole time!! *Happy dance, pat myself on the back* Score one for momma.
The hubby and I are also trying to instill healthy eating habits with our children. Not a lot of sugar, no pop, snacks are fruits and their drinks are milk, water or occasionally juice. Now yes, they do get candy from time to time or ice cream, I mean come on, we're not heartless, but there is no harm in having your child make healthy choices. Miss G was with friends one day and they decided to stop for lunch. Some kids had pop and asked her if she would like some. (Warning: Proud Momma Moment ahead...) Miss G said, "No thank you. I don't drink pop." Wwwhhhaaatttt?! She listened and stuck to her guns. She ordered water. I have always feared the Peer Pressure, especially with her because she is a "follow the crowd" type of girl already. *sigh* So this was a monumental moment for me in Parenting.
A funny story that happened just this past week was when Miss G was at Vacation Bible School with my aunts. All the kids were singing and naturally, God was mentioned in the song. But Miss G refused to sing. My aunt asked her why she wasn't singing and she replied, "I'm not allowed to say that." My aunt, puzzled, asked, "What are you not allowed to say?" G responded, "I'm not allowed to say 'God'." Here is why Miss G refused: One day, she did something funny and the phrase, "Oh God" slipped out of my mouth. (I know, I am to be banished.) Well, she repeated it, naturally. So I sat down with her and said, "Sweetie, mommy's sorry, I shouldn't have said that. We don't say, 'God'. You can say, 'Oh my gosh,' or 'Oh my goodness,', okay?" She said, "Okay, mommy, I'm sorry." And that was that. Low and behold, she listened! And took that lesson with her and refused to say the word that she knew she could not say. I am still astonished by this. And I cleared up with my family that we are not devil-worshippers or anything like that.
Just when you think no one is listening, just remember, they are; they really are. The hills may have eyes (get it? If not, it's a movie), but the Walls Have Ears. And every now and then, they perk up, even for a moment. So remember this; the kiddies are watching, they are listening, and they are waiting to shock the hell out of you when you least expect it. Always be on your toes.
