On Thursday night, Stephen and I got in a little argument about eating dinner. I told him he couldn't have an orange (he eats a lot of those) because he didn't eat his dinner and that caused him to cry and flail about.
I went over to him and said, "Stephen, I need to talk to you." I picked him up, put him on my lap, and told him why I wasn't giving him an orange. He calmed and was okay with my decision.
As I started to get up he said, "Wait! I need to talk to you!"
I sat back down and asked, "what do you need to talk to me about?"
"About cows."
So we talked about cows sitting on Ie Mei's couch with him on my lap facing me. We talked about what colors they can be, what they eat, what they make, and where they live.
The next night, after I put Mei Li to bed, he pulled me over to the couch and asked, "Mama, can you tell me about cows?"
We pretty much repeated the same conversation from the night before, except this time he asked me about baby cows. Again, he sat on my lap facing me and he was so happy to have my undivided attention.
I realize that when baby #3 comes, it will be harder to carve out individual time with each of my kids, but I think it's an important practice. Somehow I'll do it and do it well. I have faith that I'll be able to.
Each time I've had a child and feared things would be too hard, the Lord has always given me the strength to fulfill my responsibilities. I've been teaching Mei Li and Stephen a verse in the Book of Mormon about this very subject:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."(1 Nephi 3:7)
Such an empowering verse, don't you think?
I went over to him and said, "Stephen, I need to talk to you." I picked him up, put him on my lap, and told him why I wasn't giving him an orange. He calmed and was okay with my decision.
As I started to get up he said, "Wait! I need to talk to you!"
I sat back down and asked, "what do you need to talk to me about?"
"About cows."
So we talked about cows sitting on Ie Mei's couch with him on my lap facing me. We talked about what colors they can be, what they eat, what they make, and where they live.
The next night, after I put Mei Li to bed, he pulled me over to the couch and asked, "Mama, can you tell me about cows?"
We pretty much repeated the same conversation from the night before, except this time he asked me about baby cows. Again, he sat on my lap facing me and he was so happy to have my undivided attention.
I realize that when baby #3 comes, it will be harder to carve out individual time with each of my kids, but I think it's an important practice. Somehow I'll do it and do it well. I have faith that I'll be able to.
Each time I've had a child and feared things would be too hard, the Lord has always given me the strength to fulfill my responsibilities. I've been teaching Mei Li and Stephen a verse in the Book of Mormon about this very subject:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."(1 Nephi 3:7)
Such an empowering verse, don't you think?
2 comments:
How cute! I love Stephen's sudden fascination with cows! You'll do great with baby #3 Ie Li - you're an awesome mom:)
This sounds so sweet it could have been a Mormon Ad commercial and ended with - give your family everthing, give them your time.
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