The Day My Son Finally Gave Up on Me.

JR & my mom each separately sent this to me (hint maybe???) j/k. Great read for parents! 

 

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5701432

Good timing for this email considering my sanity fuel begins to regenerate after the boys go to bed (even if I'm staying up late doing chores...I just need ME-time!). With fall, brings sickness = routines go haywire. 

A couple of nights ago, 5 mins after I left Jared's room, @ 7:35pm he comes out scared  because he saw something. Man, I wanted to just blow a kiss up to the top of the stairwell & be "done with it." But I go up there, he describes what he saw and I try to reassure him that all is well. He gets teary eyed, so I suggest sleeping in Jack's room on the couch. 

After Jack realizes why we came in his room, he immediately assumed leadership of the "investigation" and declares that he is 6 yrs old and 6 yr olds are not afraid of anything. He begins the interrogation and Jared answers each question with so much excitement, he might as well exploded. Jack ushers us to the back of his room & demands that we remain right.there, while he investigates Jared's "mysterious room". Not 5 seconds later after leaving his bedroom, he changes plans and says we should remain right.in.front.of.Jared's.door (his fear had gotten the best of him once he was by himself lol). Then the interrogation continues...surprisingly an Angel must have had a hand over my mouth, because despite the fact that we were now 35 minutes past bedtime, I just sat back and watched out of pure enjoyment, our 2 boys who fight non-stop, work together!  

"Jared, what did it look like? Was it otall, like bigger than me (stretching his arms in opposite vertical directions) or was it itty, bitty (pinching his fingers together)?"

"It was BIG and it went that way (pointing behind the other bunk beds)."

"Oh I know what it was. It was just a bird Jared. Nothing to be afraid of."

Then both boys talk at the same time...

"Jack, birds live outside in trees, in a bird nest."

"Oh wait Jared, I've never seen a bird up here before. Nevermind, it wasn't a bird."

"JARED, I know what it was. It was a bat!!! Was it hanging upside down. Jared???????"

"No, Jack it wasn't a bat. Bats live in caves."

"Well Jared, it doesn't matter anyway because bats won't hurt you. They just fly around upside down." 

Mama interjects:

"Actually boys, bats can bite you and make you really, really sick."

"Jared, I don't think it was a bat. I think it was a wasp! But no worries, wasps are nice."

Mama concludes: 

"Guys, whatever it is/was, we will continue the search/hunt tomorrow. We are now an hour pass bedtime."

At this point, I start to feel the anger, frustration & blood pressure rise. And I don't yell, but man I'm not displaying a kind heart anymore. After lots of discussion & changing minds, I demand that they both sleep in Jack's bed. I rearrange night lights and end with telling them no more taking, no getting out of bed...of course, they ask hypothetical questions (need to tee-tee REALLY BAD). Mama's so frustrated at this point and advises not going to pee until later in the evening & strongly suggests NOT GETTING UP AGAIN. 

2 mins later...Jack comes out saying Jared is scared. ERRR!!!! I snap a little and tell him to  Jared that it's past bedtime & to go to sleep! 

About 3 minutes later, I feel guilty. I think about how when I was a child and how awful that would feel to not have my parents comfort my fears. So I head upstairs & ask how they are doing. That's when I learn that Jared had been crying. I'm still shocked that he was still scared, with a night-light & sleeping in the same bed as Jack. Nonetheless, I'm glad God nudged me upstairs. I mean granted there are worse things happening in the world, but the last thing I would ever want to do is send my kids crying (out of fear) to bed :( The comfort, love and contentment that you receive as a child, stays with you. I have these feelings because of the love I received as a child. How/why would I now not give that to my children? 

In the end (@ about 9:000pm, Jared ended up sleeping in our bed). Despite all that lost "ME-TIME & sleep, I'm so glad that I didn't dismiss him all the times my brain told me I had more "important" things to do.