Having trouble getting my eyes to stay open this morning. Most-used word since getting up with the kids [way too early] has been “stop.” I haven’t even gotten a cup of coffee yet.
Sitting at the table watching the kids eat their Cheerios, I hear a little voice ask me, “Mommy, can we listen to The Singing Bible?” (part of our homeschool curriculum)… And I realize even though these crazy little munchkins may seem like they don’t care about anything but being obnoxious sometimes, they still have a hunger for knowledge and God–and it’s up to me as the “big person” to make sure they get what they need.
So I push myself past my tiredness and incoherence, and start the day.
They have hungry little minds and hearts. Sometimes I forget this when I’m just trying to hear myself think in the midst of the chaos. But it’s true even then.
The challenge is: what am I going to do about it?
Don’t get me wrong, as a 7-months-pregnant mom of three, there are plenty of times I want to just go back to bed. And plenty of times I don’t want to get up for the millionth time (when I just sat down) to correct a misbehavior or comfort a crying child. And plenty of times I would much rather scroll through my Facebook feed than teach my children about letters and numbers and colors and Jesus.
But if I don’t teach them, who will?
We want them to grow up to be smart, happy little beings. We want them to be all they can be. But if we don’t feed their intellectual and spiritual needs in addition to their physical ones, they will never get there.
So today, challenge yourself for just 5 minutes. Sit down with your child(ren). Read a book and talk about what they book said. Point out some colors, patterns, letters… Ask what they’re feeling. Tell them your feelings for them. Tell them what Jesus thinks about them. Find ways to engage your little one, and grow their mind(s). Even if they are in “school” all day, you are still the big person they look up to most.
I guarantee you will see some little spark ignite when you do this. Yes, there will most likely still be chaos throughout your day. But that little mind will have seen something bigger. And if you keep feeding it, that little spark will grow into a fire.
What are some things you do to grow your littles’ minds and hearts?
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