Istock_000000422926xsmallHello there fabulous readers!
We are having lots of rain here today…I am loving it:)  We have also been having power outages all day long.  So, hopefully I can type this post up and the power will stay on. 

I wanted to share a funny story with you all concerning my kids and the rules that I had for them while they were growing up.  In our home we had three rules…which were posted prominently on the fridge.

1.  We don’t hurt ourselves

2.  We don’t hurt each other

3.  We don’t hurt our environment

I was not very interested in imposing lots of rules on the boys…but, I also didn’t want them to turn into little monsters either. 

It’s a fine line indeed!!!! 

This set of rules seemed to cover most things that happened.  I didn’t need to run around saying "NO!" too often…I was more interested in saying "YES!" to what they wanted to explore.  With lots and lots of redirecting.

As the boys got a little older, it became apparent that I needed to add an addendum to the list.  The rule that I wanted to add didn’t quite fit into any on the list…but, I was able to stretch things enough to add it under #2:  "We don’t hurt each other." 

I was the parent after all and if I couldn’t manipulate the system…oops!!  I mean…(Cough) work the system to teach them how to be in the world in a thoughtful way…what good was the system?  I mean…come on!!!!!

The new rule was: 

No interrupting mom when she is on the phone unless there is:
a. blood
or
b. bones protruding from your skin…where there shouldn’t be any!

Now, because I was the parent and had already established some sort of authority over my free spirited sons, they took this and didn’t question it at all.  Well….at least they didn’t seem to question it!

One day, I was on the phone and Ethan (my oldest son) kept asking if I could make some brownies for a snack.  I looked at him with what I hoped was strong annoyance and frustration.
No blood or bone protrusions…I told him to read the rule list and stop interrupting me.  I would be off the phone in about 5 minutes and then we could talk.  He rolled his eyes and walked away. 

Next, Corey (my youngest son) came up and started asking if I could make some brownies for a snack…I repeated again (with more annoyance and frustration) that I was on the phone and to go read the rules and not interrupt me.  I told him I would be about 5 more minutes and then we could talk.

Soon, I realized that they had both headed out to play and was thinking that this rule thing was working really well.  I was actually feeling sorta smug about it.  I continued my phone conversation telling my friend how well the new addendum was working.  She was thinking about giving it a try because her kids were always interrupting her phone conversations too! 

This was turning out to be a great idea!!!!

ABout 10 minutes later…Corey came running into the house with Ethan on his heals.  They were both very upset with something…and Corey had what looked like blood all over him.  I hung up the phone and went running to the kitchen to see what had happened. 

"Mom, a mountain Lion attacked me!"  Corey said…in a very intense voice…with a bit of a grin
"It did mom…I saw it too!"  Ethan said…with a total grin

As I looked closer, I started to laugh.  Corey had smeared (with Ethan’s help) raspberries all over his arms and face so that it looked like blood. 

Charming!

"Well, all of this so I would get off the phone and make brownies?"  Said me

They both grinned and started to laugh!

"Guess we better wash you up Corey.  Let’s get the bowls out and make some brownies!"  I had to laugh…this was hilarious and incredibly creative!

We had so much fun that afternoon! 

I guess rules are OK up to a point and then ya just gotta go have some fun and make some brownies!

4 Responses to “From the stories we tell our kids…to the stories that they tell us!”

  1. That’s funny! Sounds like something my brother would have done.

  2. Yep…those boys are funny indeedy:)

  3. I love this story! I teach preschoolers and they lighten my life everyday with their random stories and oh-so-smart ideas! Thanks for sharing!

  4. Thanks Jessica for stopping by. I used to work with preschoolers too…they are so flippin hilarious. And my boys were so hilarious too! They still are:)

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