As I was tucking my boys in bed last night, I said the following:
“Sometimes I feel bad for all the other moms in the world because I ended up with the two most awesome kids in the universe.”
My oldest’s mouth curled up in a dubious half-smile and he said, “Mom, I don’t think we need to feel bad for the other moms because they probably all think that THEIR kids are the most awesome.”
“Yes, I know they can THINK it but I actually HAVE them.” My boys both rolled their eyes and giggled, happy in the knowledge that in this moment, their mom thought so highly of them.
As a mom who often times is tired by the end of the day, I sometimes forget how great my kids are. And, even in the moments I think it, I rarely remember to tell them. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize what is amazing when it is right under our noses. I noticed this recently at a pool party we attended over Memorial Day weekend. We spent it with friends (I highly recommend making friends with people who have an in-ground pool) and I hadn’t seen their son in a few months. I marvelled at how much he had grown and being an entertainer at heart, he was showing off for all the gathered guests. He was reciting dialogue verbatim from a Disney beach movie all the while executing elaborate spinning jumps into the pool. I found it charming. His mom found it a little exasperating. While I was seeing his joy and exuberance, she was seeing him trying to steal the spotlight and worrying he would injure himself as he had in previous ‘performances’.
That’s when it hit me. When we see other people’s kids we easily can pick up on what makes them special. Since we don’t have the daily power struggles, the tedium of caring for their basic needs or the constant concern for their well-being, all that is left to shine through is their unique personality.
Maybe tonight, before you get your kids settled in for the night, take a five-minute break and think of three things that make your kid(s) awesome. Then, take a deep breath and as you tuck them in, remember to tell them how special you think they are.
I’m guessing you also have the most awesome kids in the universe.
How lucky are we?
Written by Diana DeVaul, MSW and Parent
