Out of the mouths of babes

I just experienced a beautiful moment.

This morning was more hectic than usual-- I was tired and my patience had worn thin. The kids were moving slowly and were showing signs of that peculiar sort of deafness that seems to strike them whenever we need to get out of the house quickly. I found myself saying "Put your shoes on, B. Please put your shoes on. Put your shoes on. No, put your shoes on. Please put on your shoes. PUT! ON! YOUR! SHOES! RIGHT NOW!"

And then, right in the middle of my gale force commands S turns to me and says calmly: "Mom, be kind. You're so stressed, and the louder you speak the more upset he gets and the less he's going to work with you."

And he was so right. How bizarre to hear my own words come out of my six-year-old's mouth! And how amazing that he was able to cut through the stress and see the situation for what it really was! I'm so grateful for insights like these and glimpses of the type of character my children are developing.