I Get Kids! I really do.

I had such a beautiful day today. I woke up earlier than my nephews and sneaked onto their bed (the sofa bed in the living room) to wish them a good morning. Rare act for me because I am not a morning person. But you know what? Lately I have been having less and less "I am not a morning person" days. I am telling you, since my healing I see so many different things in my life. I think the prayers from those who were interceding for my healing were so abundant that they are still flowing in with blessings in my life.

Anyway, Itty Bitty was knocked-out. I was poking and touching his ears and his nose and all of the tickle spots but he would not wake up. Bubi his older brother stated that when he sleeps like that there is nothing to wake him. So I did what I do best. I gave him a snugly hug and said "Wake up Bitty, wake up!Tity is hungry and she wants to eat breakfast. If you do not wake up, I will eat you instead". Then Bitty gave a big stretch and opened his eyes. I quickly said, "Good morning baby face". And he said with the most biggest and sweetest smile, "Good morningTity". So after doing a kids devotional in English and in Spanish (per Grandma's specifications) and prayed we had breakfast.

This morning Bitty prayed in his own words. Don't get me wrong. He prays daily. But he prays by memory or by repeating what the adult is telling him to say. I started it off and said, "OK keep talking to Jesus". He said, "I can't". I said, "What do you mean you can't? Yes you can! Just tell Jesus what you always tell him but in you own words. Just mention the people as you remember them". He stared at me for a few seconds and carefully started to speak. He said a wonderful prayer and I could tell that he loves his family very much. We need to encourage kids to express in their own way what they feel in their heart to God. I hope I will be a good mom if I ever get to be one.

Later on we had breakfast as usual. Then the boys practice their musical instruments. Bubi was on the piano and he is doing an excellent job. He can sit for hours and hours and just play non-stop. Bitty on the other hand, hates practice. I did too when I was little. Grandma kept insisting in a very firm tone (not yelling) at him that he was not going to play on the computer unless he practices. She made him cry and well that was not going to motivate him at all to play his guitar. Now I have to be clear in that in no way was she being mean at all. She was playing the role of the strong and firm disciplinarian. He just sat quietly until his tears started to roll down his face. They both wanted to be heard but neither of them were listening. I proceeded to take him to the bathroom so he could tell me in "secret" what was wrong. See he and I are best friends so we tell each other secrets. He told me that he really did not want to practice. Duh, I knew that. But of course he was trying to tell grandma and she was not listening. Results were unproductive. My mother tried to stop me from what I was doing and I was very much annoyed. I told her, "I know what I am doing". She defended herself, "I know what I am doing too". I replied, "Let me do what I am doing. You want him to practice and I will get him to do that. He is too upset right now to do anything". She did not respond to that.

In the bathroom I spoke to Bitty and told him to go wash his face and cool off because if his Daddy saw him like that he would be sad. So he washed his faced and I got him to smile. I explained that he had to listen to grandma's wishes and that really there was no way he would be able to play in the computer if he did not play his guitar. I encouraged him to play 3 songs. He did exactly 3 songs. I looked away to laugh when he said he was done because I just knew he was gong to do that. I said he did a great job and convinced him to do a song that is one of my favorites that he plays. He got motivated and did just that and he got to play on the computer. We found a new game and he taught me how to play it. He is a 7 year old genius.

Everybody wins, right? I do not know why my mother has such a hard time understanding that I understand Bitty. He shuts down like me when not being heard. I love my mom very much. She does so much for me. But I do not understand why she thinks I do not know how to deal with or discipline a child. I get kids. I really do. I wish she believed that too.