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You have heard the expression, “out of the mouth of babes” I’m guessing? Well, my own babe, in the form of a 12-year-old boy floated something out of his mouth a few years ago that set me straight – pdgq! (pretty da-gum quick)
There may be a few of you, or more than a few of you, who need to hear and absorb what it was he said to me. “Mom, you are on the computer all the time now.”
Initially, I bowed up a bit and commenced to defending myself. That was short lived as the lame excuses and justifications that were rambling out of my mouth were echoing off the walls and returning to my ears sounding quite hollow.
God gave me a MOMent of clarity in my son’s proclamation. I simply apologized, told him I was sorry and that I had been making the wrong choice. I then committed to him that I would do better. I suggested that any time my being on the computer was bothering him he needed to tell me. And I made the decision to be mindful to set it aside, when my children were not occupied, unless what I was doing was critical. For me, it mostly wasn’t critical and there were enough hours in the day that I could do what needed to be done on the computer at more appropriate times.
What I hoped my reaction showed him was that when someone you love is doing something that makes you feel slighted, or overlooked, you need to let them know as that gives them the opportunity to make it right.
Since that pivotal MOMent there have been times where I have needed a reminder, there have been times when he has suggested, “I’ll study while you do your blog thing” – the point being, we are both better off and our relationship strengthened because of his honesty.
It’s an age-old problem, men with their heads in a newspaper (now i-pad), kids staring at a television, too much talking (now texting) on the phone. Sometimes we feel invisible, dismissed and relationship suffers.
This subject area has also invited discussions with my son about how someday when he is married, his trips hunting, or golfing may make his wife feel slighted and he has to be mindful to set aside what he enjoys doing to honor her. He too must find balance.
Always be responsive, do not dismiss the truth that comes “out of the mouth of your babes” as sometimes the teachable MOMent that rises up is for you…and for your child’s future.
Remember…every MOMent counts!
BTU,
Tracey
Tracey Eyster is the creator and senior editor of MomLife Today and has served with FamilyLife.com as a writer for three years. Always known as the “fun mom”- she embraces that title and challenges other moms to lighten up and make memories because … Every MOMent Counts! You can find her at www.momlifetoday.com.
