Saturday, February 16, 2013

Splitting Chocolate

Like every parent, I often wonder if I'm doing enough to create an environment where my children can thrive and become worthwhile people. Am I setting the bar to high? Do I expect too much from the little people in my house? Am I letting them get away with things that will turn them into lazy, manipulative brats as they grow? Are they going to turn out as damaged as me? I think it's natural of a parent to question his or her parenting, natural to wonder what the long-lasting effects of his or her behavior and fireballs are.

No parent is perfect. 

After another bout of self-incrimination on Valentine's Day for getting frustrated with Miss K, I received the best gift a mother could have: proof that Miss K is a loving, giving person capable of putting others ahead of herself.

Miss K brought home Valentine's from school, half of which contained candy, although only one contained nuggety goodness of chocolate. She knows I'm a major chocolate fiend and she wanted to eat it herself. A couple cutesy fun pouting contests with her and Miss K let me know she would thing about it and get back to me.

Final decision? She would share it with me! I broke it as close to in half as I could, but it was definitely more 1/3 vs 2/3. Without even a moment's hesitation, Miss K reached for the smallest piece and then kissed me on the cheek. 

Heart melted. 

I'm doing something right with this girl. Even with all my mistakes and human weakness, I'm doing just enough right that Miss K might not turn out like me.

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