Wisdom from a Preschooler
My eldest shocks me with her whit and wisdom sometime. We've gotten past the endless "why" world of three year olds, the nonsensical world of toddlerhood, and are suddenly shooting into the world of young lady-hood.
My girls are both now in "school." Miss N attends a traditional K4 program three days a week, while two of those days Miss M goes to Mom's Day Out at a nearby church so I can work. Mom's Day Out gives the kids a small candy at the end of the day if they are good. Preschool lets the kids earn "Dinky Dollars," which they turn in on Fridays for a prize from the "Dinky Store." Both reward good behavior, but in different days.
This Friday when I picked up Miss N from school, she had a toy rooster she had purchased from the store. We drove to get Miss M, who got her candy. While we drove, Miss N was questioning me about whether or not I brought her a lollipop. I assured her I did not, and she was working herself into a state of discontent about the fact that sister would get a lollipop and she would not. I reminded her that she had a rooster and sister did not, but it didn't matter.
I decided to ignore her discontent. She was choosing to be miserable, and i wasn't going to be able to snap her out of it. After a few minutes of pouting, she turned on a smile and said, "I am going to be content with my rooster. I love my rooster!"
I was very happy to see that measure of maturity come from her. We've talked about being content with what we have. Mommy struggles with being content in our tiny house, but I remind myself, often within her earshot, that we have what we need and much more, so we should be thankful.
Lately my two girls have been playing and interacting better and better. Of course, they fight, but they are starting to behave like friends rather than enemies. One day Miss N said, "Mommy, M is my best friend in the whole world. I love her so much down in my heart!" AHHHHHHWWWWWW! I reminded her that no matter what happens in our life, Miss M would always be her sister, so it was good that she felt that way.
However, the conversation quickly turned. Miss N started crying. "I will be sad when Miss M dies, mommy." Then she sobbed, "I don't want you to die, Mommy." Huh? So, I reassured her that as far as I know, I wouldn't be dying for a very long time, and neither would Miss M. "But even when you are old, I don't want you to die. You are special to me." Then, "I don't want Daddy to die either. He's special to me in my heart."
I really was not able to comfort her. I guess the realities of life and death are becoming real to her. I really wanted to tell her, "I promise, I won't die any time soon," but I can't make a promise like that, for we know not what a day may bring forth. After a nap she was much calmer about it. I have not yet found a way to talk to her about this one, but I am sure it will come up again.
Even with all of these wise thoughts and questions, my daughter is still a preschooler. The other night she was not going to sleep. I reminded her she needed to sleep, to which she replied, "I don't want to dream, Mommy, so I am going to keep my eyes open forever."
I asked her if we should prays he has a good dream, and she said, "NOOOO, I don't want ANY dreams." My friend Michelle reminded me of this verse on her blog recently:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee."
The idea is if we are thinking of God, we will be at peace. Of course, my four year old may not know enough about God and His character to think on him long enough to dispel her fears, but it is a good verse to introduce her too. So I did.
I explained that if we think about God, it gives us peace, which is the opposite of fear. I asked her, "What do you know about God?" Her response, "I don't know anything about God."
"Sure you do, let me help you think. What did God make."
Her response to this definitely showed she is still a preschooler. "Mommy, it's just that I'm too sleepy and I need to go to sleep." and with that, she rolled over and did.
Yet, the seed has been planted, and we will revisit the verse and concept again at a later date.
My girls are both now in "school." Miss N attends a traditional K4 program three days a week, while two of those days Miss M goes to Mom's Day Out at a nearby church so I can work. Mom's Day Out gives the kids a small candy at the end of the day if they are good. Preschool lets the kids earn "Dinky Dollars," which they turn in on Fridays for a prize from the "Dinky Store." Both reward good behavior, but in different days.
This Friday when I picked up Miss N from school, she had a toy rooster she had purchased from the store. We drove to get Miss M, who got her candy. While we drove, Miss N was questioning me about whether or not I brought her a lollipop. I assured her I did not, and she was working herself into a state of discontent about the fact that sister would get a lollipop and she would not. I reminded her that she had a rooster and sister did not, but it didn't matter.
I decided to ignore her discontent. She was choosing to be miserable, and i wasn't going to be able to snap her out of it. After a few minutes of pouting, she turned on a smile and said, "I am going to be content with my rooster. I love my rooster!"
I was very happy to see that measure of maturity come from her. We've talked about being content with what we have. Mommy struggles with being content in our tiny house, but I remind myself, often within her earshot, that we have what we need and much more, so we should be thankful.
Lately my two girls have been playing and interacting better and better. Of course, they fight, but they are starting to behave like friends rather than enemies. One day Miss N said, "Mommy, M is my best friend in the whole world. I love her so much down in my heart!" AHHHHHHWWWWWW! I reminded her that no matter what happens in our life, Miss M would always be her sister, so it was good that she felt that way.
However, the conversation quickly turned. Miss N started crying. "I will be sad when Miss M dies, mommy." Then she sobbed, "I don't want you to die, Mommy." Huh? So, I reassured her that as far as I know, I wouldn't be dying for a very long time, and neither would Miss M. "But even when you are old, I don't want you to die. You are special to me." Then, "I don't want Daddy to die either. He's special to me in my heart."
I really was not able to comfort her. I guess the realities of life and death are becoming real to her. I really wanted to tell her, "I promise, I won't die any time soon," but I can't make a promise like that, for we know not what a day may bring forth. After a nap she was much calmer about it. I have not yet found a way to talk to her about this one, but I am sure it will come up again.
Even with all of these wise thoughts and questions, my daughter is still a preschooler. The other night she was not going to sleep. I reminded her she needed to sleep, to which she replied, "I don't want to dream, Mommy, so I am going to keep my eyes open forever."
I asked her if we should prays he has a good dream, and she said, "NOOOO, I don't want ANY dreams." My friend Michelle reminded me of this verse on her blog recently:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee."
The idea is if we are thinking of God, we will be at peace. Of course, my four year old may not know enough about God and His character to think on him long enough to dispel her fears, but it is a good verse to introduce her too. So I did.
I explained that if we think about God, it gives us peace, which is the opposite of fear. I asked her, "What do you know about God?" Her response, "I don't know anything about God."
"Sure you do, let me help you think. What did God make."
Her response to this definitely showed she is still a preschooler. "Mommy, it's just that I'm too sleepy and I need to go to sleep." and with that, she rolled over and did.
Yet, the seed has been planted, and we will revisit the verse and concept again at a later date.
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