Think Big Not Belittle!!!!

I think sometimes we don't notice the little things our children can do for us

But when we do notice

Do we Praise them ?

Or do we sometimes belittle their efforts???

I came home from school with the boys and I was a little stressed today. I was waiting for a phone call from my divorce lawyer to see if I had a court battle on Monday for the next round, so my delicate stomach was all over the place with my usual reflux problem.

When I later went into the lounge I noticed the boys in those few minutes had wrecked my tidy front room!!! Strewn all over the floor was their school bags, coats, uniform where they had thrown in on the way to changing to their play clothes, a few toys and some glasses and plates from their post school snacks!!!!

There they were sitting totally oblivious and watching their cartoons. I didn't say a word! It wasn't their fault I was already stressed but I felt the pressure to yell a bit so with a big sigh I left the room until I could deal with it rationally.

In the time it took me to make a nice cuppa I came and sat on my beloved computer     I could hear a flurry of activity in the next room but ignored it.

Sometime later, two boys came to me and said they wanted to show me something. There they were looking so pleased with themselves. I had to be blindfolded and led back into the lounge, where the blindfold was taken away and there to my amazement was a lovely tidy lounge.............. well tidier!!!!!!

What can I say, the school bags were now thrown in the hallway, the uniform was thrown beside the laundry basket, the coats were in the hallway and the toys were in one corner and the dishes stacked on the coffee table.

OK so it wasn't perfect!!!
But I gotta tell you if you could have seen my boys faces.....They were so proud of themselves

They gave me a big hug and said "Look what we did for you Mummy!! Does that make you feel better?"
I FELT WONDERFUL AND SO LOVED!!!!!

It has made me think though.
What if I had gone into the lounge and said "All you have done is push everything to one side?" "You couldn't even take the dishes out to the kitchen" "What are the bags doing in the Hall?"
I would have totally belittled their efforts and made their self worth plummet. They would have felt that even when they try to help they get it all wrong and they are useless.!!!

So this is just a reminder to us all
When your child does anything for us
Lets not belittle them or make them feel useless in anyway
Let's show how much we appreciate what they have done
What is means to us
And recognise their Motivation
TO PLEASE US AND TO SHOW US THEY CARE