The Fruits of Empowerment

Sometimes I think our days of household peace and harmony have disappeared entirely.

Gone are the sweet siblings that played Barbies and Matchbox cars together, taking turns for hours, and existing in the same 12x12 room.

And the racket has kept pace with their growing bodies. How did my kids get so loud? Other parents of children who have experience this stage assure me that noise increases very naturally with the size of their mouths. I guess my ears need to adjust.

I grew up as an only child (translation -- "quiet house"). So while while the Annoyer and the Boss go at it, I may as well drag a squeaking shopping cart across a chalkboard while a pomeranian yips in my ear.

I try not to get between them or "solve" their problems, choosing instead to give them a few tools and force them to work it out together (um, somewhere else?) But I still get the nagging feeling that I'm messing up somehow, and not doing my job as a parent.

Until I see just a glimpse of diplomacy.

After enduring a morning-long grump-fest because one wanted to do a "show" with the neighbor kids and the other didn't, I looked into the neighbor's front yard and witnessed the fruits of empowerment. The four were playing catch. Apparently, the deal was that the boys would do the show, if the girls would play ball first.

The show was excellent.












Thinks by Me has some thoughts on keeping summertime harmony. Check her out.

empowerment parenting family responsibility