Happy Easter

I realize it's a little late, but much of our holiday was spent on the couch watching movies with the flu. But it didn't spoil our gratefulness of having each other in our lives...

We've been manipulating people to get our way since birth.

I first noticed this new game with my five year old son. But amazingly, my two year old daughter has already caught up with him. Making up little lies to get their way...as in asking one parent for permission for something and then going to the other parent and, instead of asking the same question, telling them that the other parent said it was okay.

Seriously, I hear them virtually every day:
"Daddy, mommy said I can go to grandpa's and you're going to drive me there."
"Mommy said you're naughty."
"Mommy said I could have candy."
"Grandpa, my mom said I can come help you tear out that fence."

It goes on and on. What I haven't quite figured out yet though, is when will they realize that I can hear them. And I hear it all the time. And they get busted for it all the time.

Kids are brilliant and completely naive simultaneously...every day.

Our biggest emotions happen around age 5.

I learned a great deal from my son's Terrible Two's. He taught me that the age of three is even worse as far as behavior goes. But just when I found myself sulking in how fast he's growing up, I'm hit with another behavioral challenge...learning lesson. Body language.

Or rather, how to control or keep tabs on body language.

I still make him take a nap every day. I still try to make sure he gets plenty of play time outside to burn off his enormous amount of energy. But his emotions are like a light switch. Bright and cheery one moment and dark and scary the next.

Something as small as his sister standing in front of the TV screen sets him off...his body convulsing, screaming like someone just kicked him in the face. Such a racket that I get a little worried that something did in fact come and attack him. One parenting trick I've been focusing on is remaining calm and getting to his level to talk things out. Let me tell you, it's been rough.

At moments like these, it's hard enough to get him off the floor, arms going one way, legs going another. Even his mid-section seems to have a mind of its own. The tantrums of the Terrible Two's have nothing on this new "tantrum." Anyway, when I can get him standing, myself kneeling, I very calmly hold his arms and speak very calm, looking into his eyes. It does no good. He's sobbing so hard and his body is shaking so badly that I end up sending him to his room to relax a little, or pound it out on his pillow until he's ready to talk. The last time, he ended up crying himself to sleep.

But now I understand why all of his book orders have an entire section on body language and talking about your feelings. As an adult, there have been times I've been THAT upset. But now I understand that control is something that must take decades to master. Especially considering if this is where we're beginning from.

Maybe we need to practice yoga or deep breathing exercises as a family...starting now.