How Many Times Have I Said....

I discovered yesterday that I really do love my child. I mean, I knew that I did, it isn't that, but sometimes I spend so much time correcting them and aggrivated with them and I wonder if when something really important happens will I do the right thing, or will I blow up and sputter venom all over them? Well, yesterday I got my chance to find out.

I have read the parenting books, and yes there are some that I think, "OVERBOARD!" But for the most part, the books I agree with say not to belittle your child when they make a mistake. By belittle, they don't mean not calling them stupid, because that is a well duh. They say we should not tell our children, "Well I told you that would happen" or "How many times have I told you" or "Well, what did you expect?" And I admit, this does cross my lips. And everytime it does, I think, "Bad Mom!"

So for a good four and a half years I've told my son, who runs everywhere, to not run at the glass doors full speed. Because he does this with one hand up to hit the latch and the other to push open the door. And everytime he does it I warn him. "Please don't run at the door like that because one day you may hit the latch after you hit the door and the glass could break and you could get hurt." Sometimes shorter like "quit running at the door!" and sometimes longer where we discuss how much blood would be involved.

So yesterday my son charged toward the back door, which incidentally doesn't have a latch and swings free, and his fist went straight through the glass. As I heard the first crack I screamed his name and I saw terror on his face. But this is what I'm so excited about, the next thing out of my mouth was "don't move!" Because glass was raining down around him and though I was worried about him being cut as the glass fell, I was more worried about him stepping on it also. I went to him in my bare feet, scooped him up and carried him to safety, and to the bathroom where we cleaned the cuts on his hand and assessed whether he would need stiches (I decided no). Thankfully I had a friend over who kept the kids out of the mess while I cleaned it up.

But I didn't once mention (in his hearing range) "I told you so!"

God protected him from glass and He helped me protect his psyche. Thank you God. Every now and then I have success.