Life Lessons From a Five-Year-Old Boy
Today I am privileged to host a guest post from Jenny at The Southern Institute, a darling crafty-type blog with projects that make you swoon and wish you actually knew how to use the sewing machine collecting dust in the closet. She and I have gotten to know one another through ye ol’ blogosphere lately, and in addition to being uber-talented and crafty, she is kind, sweet, and honest, and I appreciate her sharing here today while I continue to come to terms with the fact that I am now a mother of THREE children (holy moly!). Please enjoy, and share the love in the comments below!
There is something extremely humbling about a child’s capacity to forgive. We are big on extending forgiveness in our home. When someone wrongs another (usually a sibling… today it was me) and says that they are sorry, we have taught our children to say “I forgive you” rather than “That’s okay”, because it’s not okay, and it’s okay to acknowledge it.
Today I asked my son for forgiveness, and he forgave. I felt like dirt. Somehow I am not so ready to extend forgiveness to myself.
Each night at bedtime, we ask the children “What was the best part of your day?”, then “What was a frustrating thing about your day?” It’s a tradition we borrowed from dear friends of ours. The kids love it. We then ask them to tell us one thing that they are thankful for.
Tonight, after the way I had treated him, my son said “I’m thankful for God giving me a great mom.” He wrapped his arms around me and touched his nose to mine. He didn’t mean to do it, but his words humbled me to the point of tears. I wept at God’s goodness. In spite of my worst, God protects the hearts of my young ones, and I’m so grateful. He heals the wounds that I inflict, and keeps scar tissue from forming.Tomorrow is a new day, and as sure as my children are growing each day, I too am growing. I’m being pruned, and it hurts at times, but more often than not, it is a joy. My children are my teachers. Sometimes it seems they teach me more than I teach them. They teach me how to love and forgive with childlike abandon, and I am eager to learn.
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Jenny is happily married with three spirited children. She became a Southern girl after moving from Chicago to Nashville to attend college. These days you can still find her in Nashville, keeping busy with her children, sewing, crafting, reading and writing. She has just released her first eBook this year, called Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital, and blogs at The Southern Institute and Unbound Birth.
So hard, sometimes, isn’t it? Hard to be humbled before our children. I try to apologize to them when I need to and not feel like a child myself, gritting teeth through the apology. Thanks for writing!
So hard, sometimes, isn’t it? Hard to be humbled before our children. I try to apologize to them when I need to and not feel like a child myself, gritting teeth through the apology. Thanks for writing!
Nothing like a child to make you feel like a child! That is so true! I always realize how childish I am when I am faced with myself this way. So humbling. Thanks for reading and commenting, Kerry!
Love this post. Can so relate to it (I have a 5 year old boy myself). It almost brought me to tears…so touching. I would love to know how you get your reward chart to work.
Hi Steph. Thank you for your comment.
Five year old boys, I have found, are some of the sweetest and most loving boys. I actually use an app on my iphone called irewardchart. It keeps it all in one place and is customizable for each child. It’s awesome!
Great post! I think we have all had those times when we have felt like dirt, but our children are so sweet anf forgiving
Thanks for sharing! I have checked out The Southern Institute, very neat.
I really enjoy the posts I recieve in my inbox, I never know what to expect, but I always look forward to it.
Thank-you so much for commenting! I don’t recall seeing your name before, but I really love hearing from my readers
Have a great day! xoxo.
Thank you! It’s hard to be honest about our ugliness, but I think it’s necessary. Thank you for commenting and for stopping by my blog.