Priorities

Another Buddhist Reminder...

Children are given to us for a short while- to treat with care and respect. Children love respect- for their needs and fears. I offer the greatest respect by being fully present in the moment with children, deeply listening. If I listen and speak mindfully, the children will learn to do the same.

OK, nothing new or astounding here. But I've been trying harder. This means less computer time and and less blogging. It means less TV for everyone.

It means more helpers. We made muffins this morning. Tim likes to stir and I set Megan loose with our sharpest knife to slice strawberries. It takes a really long time to fold laundry when you are teaching them how to fold towels. It means more Candyland. And I didn't even complain! Thankfully Tim quit after 25 minutes. I had already won 15 minutes earlier but we needed to play for second place. It means sitting through what must have been the director's cut of King Kong for 3 hours even though the floors still have traces of Easter grass scattered about.

I want to paint many rooms in the house but I've decided that I need to finish an open project first. We have a 30 year old table and chair set. The paint on the chairs is in bad shape. So I began to strip them last fall. Then it got cold and I didn't really like the project anymore so I left it in the garage. Since I started the first two chairs, two additional chairs have lost their bottom rungs. We're running out of seating! Now it's warm enough to work in the garage again. Yesterday Megan helped with the sanding. Today she and Tim played basketball in the garage while I sanded. I put on music when I begin and limit myself to one CD per daily session. This way I don't experience burnout. There are 6 chairs and they are almost completely detail work. I'd rather be painting so I hope that keeps the chairs on pace. I like this work but it takes forever. Plus, I've now made myself accountable to you readers.

Easter was nice. Cold and quiet. It felt just like Queensbury weather. The big hit was a Nerf dart gun. Tim really likes chocolate for breakfast. The kids caught a second wind around 10AM and became much more civil. They sleep like it's Christmas Eve in anticipation, leaving grouches after the sugar crash.