Happy Friday! I feel like this week has been really busy, but I also feel like I have been saying that every week. I am definitely ready for the weekend and hope to enjoy some of it outside since the weather is supposed to be nice here.
Today has been a pretty good day. My kids were acting pretty good (Rebecca was a little more emotional than usual, but I think she was just tired) and we got to go outside for a little bit too. We have been getting cabin fever here, and that’s when my kids, especially Gabriel, start to act up.
I don’t know if any other parents feel this way, but when my kids misbehave or act out in ways they should know are wrong, I start to worry. I know it all is normal behavior for their ages, but I also can’t help thinking about the future, and hoping that they turn out to be nice and kind individuals. Does anyone else have a kid who seems to lack empathy? That is the way Gabriel is. He has so much energy and and is constantly on the go. But if he is not able to release some of that energy, then it comes out by not being nice towards his sisters. He also does not seem to stop and notice if one of them fell down and got hurt or are crying, he does not think to ask if they are ok. Don’t get me wrong, he still has his sweet big brother moments, too. But sometimes I worry that he is not empathetic enough.
That is the complete opposite of Rebecca. She is such a little mommy and has the biggest heart. If one of her siblings is crying she is the first one over by them asking if they are ok while stroking their hair. If anything I worry about her being too sensitive to her emotions (in other words, she is a drama queen).
Theresa is still too young to tell if she has empathy or not, but judging by her calm personality and desire to give hugs and help feed Shiloh, I think she is going to be similar to Rebecca. Time will tell.
It is easy to worry about our kids right now and go to the worst case scenario in our minds about what their future could look like just because they had a bad moment as a toddler. I have one of these worries at least once a day. But then I also have a reality check. Some people are just born having a natural empathetic nature, while others have to work towards empathy.
Even though my kids may worry me from some of their actions, they never cease to surprise me by their innocence and purity of heart. We try to pray the Guardian Angel prayer with the kids every night before bed, and recently I have been adding on the Hail Mary as well so they can learn that prayer. At the end we will add in any intentions.
They watched different versions of “A Christmas Carol” this year (the Muppets have a cute kids version and there is also a cute Mickey Mouse one). I guess the character of Scrooge really stuck out to them, because one night awhile ago they asked to pray a Hail Mary for Mr. Scrooge (Gabriel was the one, in fact, who first asked to pray for him. I think he’s going to be okay 🙂 ). And every night since then they make sure to pray a Hail Mary for him. I will point out that they know that Mr. Scrooge is “not nice” but they still choose to pray for him every night.
Kids have a way of making us feel so humble. I know that we can all learn something from them. Do all of us, perhaps, have a “Mr. Scrooge” in our lives? Someone who is not nice to us, annoys us, or just does not seem like a good person? Instead of thinking badly of them, we should pray for them to experience kindness and grace to start treating others with kindness as well. Prayers can go a long way!
I hope you all enjoy your evening!
