People often comment on what polite and well mannered boys we have. I gladly take the compliments but sometimes wonder if they are really referring to the same boys that are currently wrestling in hopes of drawing blood on the living room floor right now. Excuse me while I diffuse this situation.
"I don't care what a choke slam is, you don't use that on your brother."
I think Gavin is most happy when Tommy is getting punished for his latest crime and there is nothing more pleasing to Tommy than when he makes Gavin cry. Some days it seems like they're at it from sun up to sun down. I often refer to them as the pit bulls when venting to my mom via the telephone. There are days when, to preserve my own sanity, I have to keep them separated like viscous dogs. Tommy on one side of the house and Gavin on the other and the two shall not even make eye contact.
So you can imagine my surprise when I picked them up from the skate park today. I loaded all the skateboards and scooters and some very sweaty boys into the van and we started home and this is the conversation that followed:
Tommy: Mom, do you know why I was sad today?
Me: No, what happened?
Tommy: You forgot to pack me my Gatorade and didn't pack any money for the Gatorade machine
Me: Sorry Tommy, why didn't you get a drink from the water fountain?
Tommy: I kept trying but I'm too short
Me: Why didn't you ask Miss Tammie to help you?
Tommy: Cause Gavin came over to help me
Me: How did Gavin help you?
Tommy: He laid down on the blacktop and let me climb on his back so I was tall enough
Me: SPEECHLESS...
I couldn't believe it. There are days when I feel like my children might watch each other drown and not stick out a hand to help. Just picturing Gavin watching his brother in a this situation and problem solving and then laying down on the super hot blacktop and telling Tommy to climb up. I wanted to pull the van over and get them out and hug them. In all reality we were stuck in traffic on the bridge so I just praised them over and over. They were really concerned when I had tears in my eyes calling Scott to tell him what incredible boys we have.
If true character is the person you are when no one's looking, may be a child's true character is the person they are when their mom isn't there looking over their shoulder. If that's true then I'm so proud of the little men I'm raising and maybe some of the character building and compassion I'm trying to instill is sinking in. I wish I could see some of these moments for myself but for now I remain the ref and things are getting pretty heated in the ring.
"If you guys are gonna continue wrestling you better get outside where I can't see you... NO... NO CHOKE SLAMS"
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