Family Bottom Lines | My 3 Little Birds- Reflections on the MOMents ...

The door creaked as I opened it and there was an undone puzzle across the bedroom floor. From under the sheets I heard a whimper of protest, an indignant Hmmpf!, as my boy is known to do (I couldn?t see him but I?m willing to bet that his arms were crossed and his nose was turned up at the tip).

He did not (did not!) want to go to church.

Sunday mornings are a tricky thing in my house. As was the case yesterday, my husband is often on call at the hospital in the getting-ready hours, so I?m left to find the tights and match the shoes and tame the hair alone. It?s almost always a struggle and for what? I?ll get to that.

My son had had a busy weekend? a Friday night sleepover that turned into a Saturday play date and then a birthday party later that night. He?d been up late and this child? He needs sleep. Sleep that he didn?t get.

I considered skipping. We don?t go every single Sunday, after all, and didn?t we just go last week? It would have been so much easier to throw up my hands and put on my sweat pants and give in.

But.

There?s this thing that happens with families. This thing that infects them. I don?t want it to touch mine.

Growing up I saw it happen to several families. I saw it happen to my own. Families of happy people who, you know, enjoy each other turn into families with surly kids and unhappy adults. They go from a family to a group of people who just happen to live under the same roof.

My son?s world is quickly widening to the world outside our home. If he had his way he?d arrange for a friend to come over every single day of the week. He?s inching his way toward an adolescence that revolves around things I can?t control.

This is a totally normal part of the growing up process, I realize, but for our family, I want there to be some bottom lines. Eating dinner together. Supporting one another. And, for now, going to church together as a family.

This may change. When my children are older they may feel pulled toward or away from religion. That?s ok. For now, though, it?s the principle of the thing.?For now, when we do things we do them together, even when it?s easier to say Hmmpf! and call it a day.

* * * *

Congratulations to Domestic Diva for winning the Barefoot Books giveaway! I know your kiddos will love ?em.

Source: http://my3littlebirdsblog.com/2012/10/family-bottom-lines.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=family-bottom-lines

wisconsin recall election april 4 santa monica college wisconsin primary dallas fort worth airport texas tornados seattle seahawks new uniforms