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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Mommy post

I know the other moms feel me here...

The words "enough already", which fly out of my mouth often around this house to the sibling rivalry. Rivalry sounds kind of medieval to me, which suits its purpose in that phrase just fine. Sometimes my two children are downright cruel to each other. Very primal, even. To find whatever is near them to use as a weapon. That's straight out of gladiator days.

I feel like nothing I say ever sinks in to my children's heads. I preach {and yes, try my best to practice} being sweet and gentle hundreds of times a day. It never seems to get through.

Then out of the blue, something happens...

My daughter, 3 years old and full of spit and vinegar, found a wasp in the family room this morning. She said, "Momma, I need something to pick it up." So I handed her a paper towel. 

She caught it! Without harming the poor little guy.

She proceeded to gently (not an word in her vocabulary or demeanor) pick it up and said, "I need to put him outside."
Watching the wasp escape to the bushes.

This same little girl of mine pulls the dog's tail in glee, and tells her, "I'm gonna poke your eye"...! She is ruthless to her big brother. She scares me with how developed her sense of humor and deception are at only three years old.

This transaction with the wasp lasted all of 2 minutes. But just that simple gesture she made, that was enough for me to realize that something, SOMETHING, is being absorbed into her little mind about being kind to others. I couldn't be more proud. And neither could she. ♥

So proud of herself!
{Yes, the hair in her eyes drives me crazy, too.}

3 comments:

  1. I love seeing pictures of her. What a great story to record forever. Don't worry...empathy is not natural. Neither is kindness and she still thinks she is the center of the world. It will come. She has a good model.

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  2. You just made my morning with this story and darling photos :)

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  3. I completely understand. Little A is quite a bit smaller but I still have that frustration of saying, "enough!" all the time. But when she picks up a tissue off the floor, out of the blue, and marches over to the trash to throw it away, my heart sings. Reminds me that it's worth it. Thanks for this post.

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