It’s back! (insert slightly-cheesy, but oh-so-HAPPY grin)
😀
Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday.
Join me!
The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, overthinking, or backtracking. Just write.
Today’s Topic: Opportunity
Each day is a new opportunity, especially with a sweet, sometimes-more-than-slightly-mischievous, toddler running around at my feet.
She is a sponge…and she soaks it all up, whether I want that for her or not.
And, together, we try to take each opportunity that comes our way for learning, teaching, changing, growing.
But lately, well…she’s two.
Those five previously written words probably speak volumes to most of you. 😉
She’s two, and sometimes taking opportunities is…hard.
That temper tantrum is often easier to ignore than to correct, and the same goes for other various misbehaving moments that generally occur within a normal day.
Often, rather than taking the opportunity to show her what she should be doing, I ignore or use the dreaded time-out…forgetting that those little eyes are watching me. Learning.
Too much, too quickly.
And then I stop and remember…
The greatest opportunities often come from the greatest challenges, not from the easiest ones.
On the easy days, I coast…and there’s no reason to go outside of my limits to reach for something else.
It’s on those difficult, sometimes-just-plain-hard, days that the biggest opportunities…for blessing, for sharpening, for growth…arise.
And so I stop in my tracks as I watch her getting frustrated again over something that seems small and insignificant to me.
But not necessarily to her.
I kneel down on her level, grasp her hands, look into her eyes, and take the opportunity to show her that I love her and that I’m on her side.
And that I always will be.
Mel – I agree with the ‘it’s back’ time :-D! Aren’t 2yr olds wonderful :-), they are absorbing EVERYthing about life. They are watching. I have spent the last couple days with my 2 yr old niece – I have fresh memories.
Let me validate a ‘bunny trail’ real quick – you have every reason to be tired at the end of the day. I know the days can get long…but I’m one of those who misses ‘those days’ & my kids are only 12 & 15. You are such a wise mama to choose to stop and embrace her, validate her frustration and show her your love. Keep up the good work! (visiting from 5MinFri)
Thanks for the encouragement, April! And for stopping by…wishing you a great weekend!
“The greatest opportunities often come from the greatest challenges, not from the easiest ones.” Thanks for that! Blessings.
Thanks for stopping by, Julie. Blessings!
Good post, and Happy New Year! Looking forward to more coffee-clutches! Hope you found what the elf left you for Christmas 😉
Hey, friend! I’ve missed you…you need to get over here and share some of that Florida tan with me before it’s gone! 😉 And, p.s…you won’t BELIEVE my newest creation…you must come over so I can brag about my newest Pinterest inspiration…and so I can teach you, too. See you soon!
The problem with being 2 or 3 or 4 is that there is way more “no” than “yes'”…it is hard as a parent to find ways to say yes at that age or to give them choices and independence over things.
Hang in there through the bad days…it does get better as they get older.