The Adventure Continues

                                                  My boys

Last night when I was getting the boys ready for bed Alex started asking questions about growing up.  He asked if Jacob used to be a little boy like him.  I explained that Jacob was a little boy once and grew up.  Alex said, "We'll be big like daddy some day--Logan and me?" 

Part of being a parent is learning as you go.  Your children reach an age where they are curious about every aspect of the world around them.  They ask questions that you know the answers to, but you don't think they are ready for the answers.  They ask questions that you don't have answers to--and they ask questions that you answer not knowing how your response is going to affect them.  This is what happened last night.

Alex asked his question and without thinking about how either of the boys would react I responded.  I said, "Yes, some day you will both grow up like daddy did.  You will move out, get a job, and start a family of your own."  Alex nodded and started brushing his teeth.  Logan, on the other hand, started crying.  I said, "What's wrong?"  He stood there in his pajamas, hugging his Yoshi plush toy, and had big tears rolling down his cheeks. He said, "I don't want to leave you, mommy." 

As a mother to small children you get used to squatting down and standing back up.  It is important for me when I'm talking to my children about something important that I get down on their level and talk to them face to face.  It is something I have always done and will continue to do until my boys are taller than me and I have to look up at them.

So, I got down on Logan's level and told him that he was only four years old and he didn't have to worry about all that stuff for a very long time.  It really seemed to bother him that one day he was going to leave.  He kept going back to the subject and asking about why he would have to leave some day.  This morning on the way to school--out of the blue--Logan says, "I want to stay with you even when I'm grown.  Okay, Mommy?  Can I do that?"  The funny thing is that when the time comes it won't be an issue for him--it will be harder on me than it is on him, but right now, in his little 4-year-old eyes he can't imagine not being with Mommy and Daddy.  It is one of the many things I love about that child--he is such a sweetie.  

This conversation reminded me of just how smart and observant my boys are--it also made me realize that even though there are days when parenting seems hard we must be doing something right.  I mean, if our children burst into tears at the thought of leaving us then we must be doing something right.  Right? 

So here's to many more years of tough parenting days, tough questions, serious conversations, and everything else that this adventure throws our way.