I came across a quote a few months ago on a blog I read, Mitchell's Journey, and it has always stuck with me- "Making the decision to have a child
- it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walking around
outside your body.”
It is amazing to me how innate and quick we as parents react and respond to our children. From the time our children are born, we know it is our job to protect them and keep them safe. But as they get older, we have to start to loosen our grasp so they can grow to be their own person. The first time I heard another child tell Michael they were not his friend anymore and leave him sitting by himself, crying, I wanted to jump up and hug Michael, telling him I loved him so much and that little boy was not a nice friend. But I refrained, I knew he needed to learn how to be his own little self and he would be okay.
More than anything in life, I want my boys to grow up happy and loved. Our house is a very "huggie" house and I love it! We are very affectionate toward each other and I love to see that kind of affection in our boys. Everyday I cannot get the boys out of their classrooms until they have hugged both of their teachers and all of their friends. Michael and James still hold that innocence in their hearts that I never want to see fade away. They do not know yet what it means to be picked on or bullied. They don't understand name calling and exclusion. If I had it my way, they would never be hurt or disappointed, but honestly, that is life. The only thing Geoff and I can do is teach them how to walk away when conflict arises and how to forgive when forgiveness is asked. We have to show them what it looks like to be a friend and how important it is to hold their friends close to their hearts.
To me, the best measure of a friend is to see how they love your kids. Geoff and I are very blessed to have amazing people in our lives who love our boys as if they were their own. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your little ones loved on by your friends. Afterall, Michael and James are the best parts of Geoff and I rolled up into two little wild and crazy
boys! They love their friends, they love Spiderman and they love their
mommy and daddy! I wouldn't have it any other way:)
