Insightful and creative Mon over at Holistic Mama asks the question: "It's easy to be thankful for the good stuff, can you be thankful for the not so good?"
Should I be surprised that sensitive me produced four sensitive children? Some days, I feel like I'm bombarded by overly sensitive mood swings with my bunch. On any given afternoon, I may have to jump from one kid to another as they go through "something" that got them all worked up. My soon to be thirteen year old will take almost any comment or criticism way too seriously. My ten year old can get overwhelmed with a new task at school and shut down temporarily. You all know that my six year old can be a volatile volcano these days. My sweet four year old daughter has her very clingy moments, especially when I have to get through a quick conversation with another adult. Lately, she'll pull on me like crazy to stop talking. She has to crave my attention right then and there. Hopefully, this phase will end soon :)
Since it is "Thankful Anyway Thursday", I want to celebrate my children and their sensitivity. I believe that it's important to live life with a full heart and sympathetic nature. It can be trying sometimes when every little bump in the road of a relationship gets to you. I think I'll always have trouble navigating through those bumpy waters.
I am grateful that my kids also show their sensitivity with their friends and classmates. Often, one of my sons will comment on how he felt bad if another kid was getting picked on. I'm always upset to hear the stories about the bullying in schools. It's really sad to think of how much teasing and harassment is going on in today's schools. My kids are quick to befriend "the underdog" on the bus or the playground. Sometimes, my kids are the underdogs too.
I'm very proud of their sensitive questions and concern for the people in Haiti. When one of my sons saw a picture of a little Haitian child lost and alone, he asked, "Will he be alright? Who is there to help him?" Looking at my son, I struggled to think of what answer to give. I want to say that he'll be alright. I could tell that my son was really worried about that child.
I'm happy that my kids have my "sensitivity gene". I don't want them to grow up to feel disconnected or calloused in their reactions to others. My main goal for my children is that they always show kindness and compassion. I hope they do well in other areas, like education and careers, but to me it is most important that they are kind people.
Who knows? Maybe with all this sensitivity overflow in my house, I should start a theater company. I always wanted to direct :) Or should I consider a soap opera?
