Survival of the Fragile
This is one of my favorite little statues. She is supposed to represent Courage according to the designer. To me she says Joyous Praise.
She is quite a survivor. Recently we played a rousing game of Nerf gun wars in the darkened living room with four of our grandkids. Being unable to see the opponents makes for random shots that put many fragile things in danger. My little, Lego knights and a few shells got knocked over, but this beauty stood firm in the face of unseen enemy bullets.
Despite her bravery, she couldn’t withstand the errant elbow as I put away toys and dusted her area after the grandkids left. Sadly, she had to be escorted to the nearest garbage can and laid to rest. But happily, the angel is available online. Her twin made her appearance before the week was up, and I once again am reminded to rejoice and fill my mind and heart with praise!
The following is a mixture of a Grammie Rant and some Parenting Tips.
When my kids were babies, I put things out of reach. My parenting style was “choose your battles and save yourself some grief.” I made enough messes without having the girls knock something over and break it. When they were old enough to understand, I put a few special things down within reach, but still most of those things were touchable. The girls learned to obey without too much trouble.
Through the years, we’ve all broken things that were special to others or to ourselves. Though that makes us sad or embarrassed, those kinds of mistakes are not worth losing a friendship over or destroying a child’s self-concept. Beating ourselves up over and over is fruitless. Forgive!
When we moved to Georgia, I knew I would be hosting recitals and parties in the open concept area we had remodeled for that purpose. I purchased glass plates and goblets to use. They were mostly Walmart specials at a buck apiece. Some parents balk when I serve their little ones from these dishes. In the fifteen years we have lived here, with several parties a year, sometimes fifty to a hundred people at a time, I have NEVER had a child or an adult break a glass on my hard tile floors. If someone had broken something, I wouldn’t have been upset. The only glasses that have been broken were – you guessed it – by my own sweet self!
What I am suggesting is – trust your kids with special things and watch them grow in their manners and self-concept.
If perchance a child breaks something unintentionally, grant her the same grace and mercy you would bestow on yourself or even more! If he breaks something intentionally, you may have to charge him to replace the item, have some time-out for him (and yourself), make him clean up the mess, and apologize to the owner of the item verbally and/or in writing.
Blessings
KB
Though I was unable to mend my little angel, God mends us and puts our broken pieces together into a beautiful image of His promises. Psalm 30:2 KJV O Lord my God, I cried unto You, and You have healed me!
