Christmas Joy.

Everyone around here had a wonderful Christmas.

How about you?

Now, bring on the New Year!

Parenting Success.

Holding my tongue is not my strong suit.

Especially on Monday mornings when

a sleepy, toe-headed, little boy stops me just before I go out the door

and asks me to sign a paper that he didn't do well on.

He had a ready excuse.

"It was old words.  Not the ones I studied last week."

Sure, I thought.  But held my tongue.

Then he presented me with the paper.

And sure enough, it was an old test from early November

that  had already been signed!

I'm not sure why I kept my thoughts to myself.

Usually, I'd have begun lecturing him. 

 He'd have fought back,

and the morning would've been ruined for both of us.

Instead, I left with a big hug and kiss.

And he jumped in the shower without complaint.

I thought about this on my drive to work.

Remembering all the times I've totally blown it.

And I realized that developing

parenting skills is just like old tests.

Sometimes we've done this before,

and not handled it the best, then it comes "home" again.

Hopefully, it's already been signed. 

 So to speak.