There is no way I could parent my children if I lost my index fingers. It just could not be done.
Tonight was not the pinnacle of my success as a parent. It wasn't even on the upward swing. Tonight was one of those nights when you find yourself acting the same way YOUR parents did when you were a teenager and you hated every second of every minute of every hour they did it, and why wouldn't they just STOP and let you LIVE your LIFE in PEACE???
Yup, that was my evening, y'all.
And while I was completing my lecture circuit, in the middle of my parental tirade, at the very peak of my anger and frustration, I noticed something.
I cannot verbally discipline my children without using my pointy finger. And sometimes I even used BOTH of them.It was really quite amazing. Here my mouth is, saying things like "no respect" and "no thanks for the work I do" and my mind can think of nothing else except why on earth am I POINTING at them with BOTH FINGERS at the SAME TIME???
I think I've reached a new all-time low in the parenting realm. Multi-tasking while delivering Gentle Guidance with a Loud Voice and Powerful Pointy Fingers is just not DONE. I could be removed from the Guild for this. They could throw the rule book at me. I could be relegated to all-girl preteen parties again!
Oh no. Please no.
I was concentrating so hard on the fact of the fingers that I forgot to finish flagellating the fledglings. They both just kind of stared at me as I became lost in the ponderings of my pointies. As I regained my composure, part of the steam left the space between my ears and I calmed down enough to ground both of them for 6 years past eternity, as only a good parent should. Of course, being the bad parent that I am, I let both of them off after I apologized for my outburst and lack of control in the temper department.
So there is the possibility that both of us learned something tonight. Them, to treat their poor, mistreated mother better. Me, that it doesn't hurt to have a sense of humor with your kids. I hope we can both remember that in the future.
So there is the possibility that both of us learned something tonight. Them, to treat their poor, mistreated mother better. Me, that it doesn't hurt to have a sense of humor with your kids. I hope we can both remember that in the future.
We'll make a point of it. With our index fingers.
Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (NLT)
3 comments:
Well thanks alot! How am I ever going to make a 'point' again without pointy? HUH?
Really powerful post. It's somehow so sobering when God teaches us in the midst of the lesson...instead of the retrospect approach I so prefer.
Me, too...guilty as charged.
Maureen's mom would point a curved finger at us "because it's not polite to point" so we'd get this chewing out while her finger would be in this arthritic bent position...it used to make us giggle every time.
Oh, boy, can I relate to your post! I find myself pointing and using THAT tone of voice way more than I should. In a way, it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one who struggles with this. What a great reminder to keep a sense of humor.
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