Last Friday night, my family went on a fun family outing. We went to dinner and took a ride thru Holiday In Lights. There were so many Christmas lights, making so many different things. The kids loved it. We then went to see Santa and to a kid's playland. It was an amazing night of fun for both my kids. They smiled and laughed all night long. Then we headed home. We hadn't been in the car for 5 minutues when they started. "She touched my arm!" " He stuck his tongue out at me." "She hit me". "Zach called me meanie". Now I am usually ok with the fighting. Unless I see blood or hear "dirty words or names", I can pretty much let them fight it out. Randy on the other hand, doesn't handle the fighting so well. He gets frustrated with them easily. "Why can they have so much fun together all night, then hate each other minutes later?" Oh, the memories started flooding back.....
When Travis and I were little, we were the best at sibling wars! It was one battle after another. I can't remember much about what we would fight about. What I do remember most is how my mom would handle it. Thinking back on our battles makes me laugh now. Seems like Travis and I would fight just about every day we were going to church. When mom had had enough she would say, "One more word and you two will sit next to me in church and hold hands the entire time." WHAT??? Oh no, that is not happening! Mom never heard another word! (we may have shared some nasty looks, and some tongues being stuck out at each other, but never another word!)
Travis and I had 2 things that were without fail, an area of controversy that always ending in a fight...1. Who was going to ride in the front seat of the car with mom and 2. Who got to watch "their cartoon". As usual, mom had the answer... We had to "call front" when we were growing up. The key was, we had to wait until mom said the words, "We are leaving". As soon as she said those words, whoever said, "I call front" got to sit in the front seat. This is one issue I have not had to deal with my kids yet. (Thank the Lord for the new car seat laws!) Travis and I would follow mom around the house whispering to her, "Is it time? Are we leaving?" We were hoping she would answer "yes" quietly so the other person didn't hear her say it. For some reason, most of my "car memories" are from the back seat! I don't think I was very good at that game!!!
Mom had the answer for stopping the arguing over cartoons too. We had our "days" to watch our cartoons. My days were Mondays and Wednesdays. Travis' days were Tuesdays and Thursdays. (because those days started with a "T" just like his name!) What happens on the other days you ask? They were "Mom and dad's days". If we started arguing over the TV on those afternoons, we watched what mom said to watch. And trust me, it wasn't interesting at all! My Tuesdays and Thursdays were full of "He-Man" and "Transformers" and "Thundercats". I hated them! Travis' Mondays and Wednesdays were full of "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Care Bears". Now that's some good cartoons!
Mom always seemed to have the answers to our arguments! I called mom the other day when my kids had been at each other all day long. I felt like I was losing my mind, and my thoughts went back to those days of bickering with Travis and Rachel. I immediately thought that I needed mom! She would know what to do. She would know how to handle them! I told her my dilemma and said, "What do I do, mom?" She said something I will never forget...she said, "Hahaha. I don't know!" What??? You don't know??? You have to know! You always knew!!! Her answer was, "You reap what you sow!" I think she thoroughly enjoys hearing me suffer thru my kids fights. She remembers those days like yesterday too. But what she told me next did help me .. a lot. She told me every kid is different. You have to find what works with them. Only the Lord can help you figure that out!
We have an amazing mom! Why was she so amazing? Not because she is an awesome cook (even tho she really is). Not because she can sing like no one I have ever heard..or any of the other millions of wonderful things about her...She is an amazing mom because she always found the answers in the Word of God. She always spent time finding her answers on her knees. We thought she had all the answers to solve our sibling wars growing up. What we know now, is we have the same "Book of Knowledge" that she did!! Thanks, MOM!!!!!!
And, Travis, it's Tuesday..and I'm NOT watching your cartoons!!!! :)
