Growing Up Is Hard to Do

No excuses am I making but just telling the plain awful truth…Joaquin has slept with Rodrigo and I for the last year. It started out just occaisionaly when he was sick so I could keep an eye on him and give him his breathing treatments more easily throughout the night but then developed into him just plain ole going to bed with us. We have known for quite a while that we needed to break the habit and have been pondering the how part. Now you must know that we realize that as a parent we could just force him to sleep in his own bed but something a friend quoted me once has stuck with me. She said something to the essence of "good parenting is not forcing our children but helping them to make the right choice while still allowing them to choose". With this thought in mind I capitalized on an opportunity. Joaquin is beginning soccer next week for the very first time. So, I sat him down and explained to him that being able to play soccer was an indication of how grown-up he was getting and that as a "big boy" he needed to sleep in his own bed. That is just what big boys do. He understood and didn't argue just simply stated but Mom, I'll have bad dreams. I quickly told him that we wouldn't begin this new habit for a few days to allow him time to mentally prepare and that his father would give him a blessing that would help him feel calm and peaceful about sleeping alone. I told him it would be OK because Heavenly Father would be with him and because of this he is never alone. He responded with but Heavenly Father isn't there in the room with me…I can't see him. I explained that although we can't see Heavenly Father we feel his presence through the power of the Holy Ghost. This seemed to satisfy his concerns…TO BE CONTINUED…

Imitation: The Sincerest Form of Flattery

"Freeze!" This is Zeke's favorite way to insert himself into a conversation, calm tension, and basically stop us in our tracks. Currently, I am the Nursery Leader for our ward and Zeke is one of our many cuties. About a month ago I introduced a game. I cover my eyes and while they are covered the children run toward me. However, when I uncover my eyes they are supposed to "freeze". While trying to teach them the concept of "freezing" I used quite a bit of different body gestures one of them being to put my hand out and palm out shouting "freeze". They still didn't seem to get it as they continued to run fast toward me regardless of whether my eyes were covered or not…or so I thought.

It has been several weeks since we have played this game but just a few days ago Rodrigo and I were discussing something. I can't remember what but we weren't agreeing about whatever it was because suddenly I heard "Freeze!" from the back of the car. I looked back to find Ezekiel holding his hands up palms out. Although, it didn't seem it at the time he most certainly had gotten the gist of the game and then some. He now says "Freeze" when he wants Joaquin to listen to him or when He needs me to stop what I am doing and help him with something. And of course, at the sound of any contention or discord we can count on a strong, forceful, adamant "FREEZE!"