We have implemented a few new things around here involving chores and charts and stickers and the dollar store. One other thing we have added to the rotation is that I have the kids tell me a few things that happened that day for which they are grateful. I started doing this after I listened to a podcast that basically said that happiness in life comes down to just being grateful, and how important it is to cultivate a sense of gratitude in our personalities, and that we can do this by simply making a short gratitude list each day. But it has the added benefit of being a good way to get little boys to spill their guts about a day that I might not otherwise know much about (in Andrew's case, that is, since I know everything that happens to Will).
So here is Andrew's Thankfulness List for Today:
1) That Papa came over with his night vision goggles.
2) That we went to the park after dinner and stayed until it was dark.
3) That I got ice cream after school with Aunt Katie.
4) That Kenny said he was my friend again. (Kenny and Mihir, Andrew's two best friends at school, felt that the nonsensical noises Andrew insisted on making were "so annoying" that they told him they were not his friends anymore. At that point Andrew just stood there, watching them play and feeling sad. About 2 min later, Kenny told him he was just kidding and that they were still friends. Then I got to learn all about how they are now playing soccer at recess, practicing for a match-up with the girls and some other details of Andrew' social life at school. It was really cute.)
His gratitude list made me realize how lucky we are that we live so close to my parents, that my parents love the kids so much and look for experiences to share with them, that we have a park in our neighborhood and that my sister is in town and has been so helpful and loving to the kids. I have a tendency to focus on the negative sometimes, and let the fact that my son won't eat a single bite of food (we have experiences a regression from my previous post) to cloud out so many other positive things in our lives.)
2 comments:
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that Will's not eating again! That is so sad.
I love that you do this with your kids and I want to copy it. It is so sweet and funny to hear what is going in inside their little heads. Mostly I am just impressed that you had the strength of spirit to go to a park after dinner. You are a good person.
Alexandra, I'm having so much fun with your sister. I love her! She's so nice and kind. Your kids are so big. Can you believe I have 3 too?
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