My four-year-old burst out of his room, sporting a toothpaste-splattered shirt and sneakers worn on the wrong feet. My toddler followed closely, hair and shirt soaked.
“What did you do?” I asked my eldest, a tight knot forming in my stomach as we were already running behind schedule. Frustration bubbled up inside me.
Unfazed by my annoyance, my four-year-old beamed with pride. “I went potty, got dressed, and brushed my teeth!” he exclaimed, bouncing on his little feet.
He had dressed himself, brushed his teeth, and even managed to use the bathroom—all without my help. This was exactly what I had been encouraging him to do for years! It was a wonderful moment, truly.
Take a deep breath. (No, I wasn’t talking to the imaginary dog I don’t have; that was for me.) I had to calm my racing thoughts. I recalled a friend’s post on social media:
“My daughter, Lily, came to me all excited and proud. She then snapped a brand-new crayon in half. ‘Lily!’ I exclaimed, ‘Why on earth did you just break that crayon?!’ Her joy faded as she looked up at me, wide-eyed, before bursting into tears and saying through sobs, ‘I just wanted to show you how strong I was!’”
Lily’s crayon incident—hadn’t I taken a lesson from that?
My son wasn’t trying to delay us; he was simply eager to be independent. He had even given his little brother a stylish hairdo, which explained the wetness.
Breathe. I did. The knot in my stomach began to unravel.
His shoes could easily be switched, and his shirt would undoubtedly collect more mess throughout the day. This was no big deal. In fact, this was a good day!
If I’m honest, we weren’t running late because of him. We were late because I have three little ones, and I didn’t get everyone up early enough. We were late because I had just finished packing lunches and filling water bottles. We were late because, well, life happens. I believe Shakespeare said that—or something like it!
And just like that, life happened. My toddler squatted, his face turning red as he grunted.
Now we were really late.
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In summary, amidst the chaos of parenting, sometimes the most unexpected moments reveal valuable lessons. Embrace the mess, laughter, and the journey of raising little ones.