A real reality check

I’d like for you to bear with me, on this blog. I’m going to repeat some of the sappy sentiments that I have dealt with in previous blogs. But I have a good reason, and I do have a point. So please bear with me and read on.

 Today I feel very grateful for my whiny, difficult and healthy children. The 3’s have brought about a whole new set of challenges and my capacity to tolerate high pitched, incessant whining is not admirable. I snap more than I should. Sometimes I downright yell when I should be managing or employing parenting techniques that would have avoided the ugly situation altogether.

 But that’s not my point.

 My point is that I feel grateful for their healthy status and simply thinking about it is choking me up.

 Why, you ask?

 Because a fellow preschool mom of mine is currently sitting outside a pediatric ICU, her 5 year old son sedated inside. He fell out a 2^nd story window. Headfirst. Onto concrete. The next 48-72 hours are going to be potentially the longest of her life, as they determine what damage has been done.

 He may be ok. They have reason to be optimistic. But at this point, they don’t know and I can’t even allow myself to imagine how she feels because it might break me in two.

And not that matters, but she didn’t do anything wrong. She let her kids play upstairs alone. Haven’t we all done that? This terrible accident was just that, an accident.

 And suddenly I feel very petty, very silly, for my annoyance at my children’s whining. Because really, what’s the big deal? Right?

So tonight, I ask you for two favors.

1-      Please pray for my friend and her precious child. Even if you don’t usually pray.

2-      Hug your kids. Hug them tight. Try to be nicer to them when you and they are both tired.  I know that I plan to try.

… and to all, a good night.