Just One Minute

Every day Lance and I say we're going to bed early. And every night it's after midnight before we climb into bed. We have a rule that we always go to bed at the same time. Surprisingly, we usually follow it. Tonight, I'm heading towards our regular routine. It doesn't matter that I have a huge list of things to complete tomorrow or that I'm dead tired or that someone will probably wake me up in a few hours, I am still awake. I don't know what it is that makes me stay awake. Maybe it's reading blogs... I almost didn't read this one tonight, but I was pulled to check just one more of the blogs I follow daily. It was so timely for me and what I'm working on with my kids.

During Lent, it was suggested to leave "just one minute" out of your vocabulary when your children ask for/demand your attention. I told several people about trying this out. We all thought this would be impossible, but when I really tried, it wasn't as hard as it seemed. Plus, as one friend pointed out to me, it's better to try each day with our children than just give up because something sounds too hard. We expect the best from them, why not give them our best daily. I have remembered that suggestion and started working on that again. I am pleased that today I managed to stop what I was doing and listen to my children and help them immediately rather than having them wait and get frustrated. Just because I listen to their questions immediately doesn't mean that I give them whatever they are asking for at that moment. That's okay, they have to learn patience and that they don't always get what they want, but I am giving them the respect they deserve. My kids aren't annoyances in my life and I don't ever want them to feel that way. I want them to know what a gift they are to me each and every day.