A day of right things...

She was standing in the living room crying out for me and I did nothing except keep quiet and feel a little bad for her. And then my son was also standing there curiously looking at her, looking for me. And I still just stood there. It wasn't about winning. It wasn't about being uncaring. It was about teaching her that in order to play hide and seek properly you actually have to look for the person rather than stand in the center of the room shouting "mom" and wait for me to answer, and then when I don't, start crying. We have played hide n' go seek many times before - she gets how it works. And I wasn't even really hiding - just standing in the corner.

I am not the teach-your-kid-to-swim-by-throwing-them-off-the-dock sort of parent. I am also not the parent who tells their kid with the freshly bleeding knee that they are ok and to get over it. I am the hold-them-in-my-arms-until-they-feel-better sort of mom. So I actually wanted to go to her in that moment and give her a hug. But I didn't.

And eventually she turned around and "found" me and was so happy and proud of herself for playing the game. She giggled and said it was her turn and I knew that I did the right thing by not giving in.

Today is about doing the right things. This has been a crazy week and I feel like I have been the absent parent whose mind is never really focused on my kids even when they are right in front of me. So today I woke up thinking that today would be our day. Not only did we play hide n' go seek, but I suggested it. And not only did we read books on the couch, but I suggested it. And just as soon as my son wakes up from his nap and Bella is done drawing, we are going to the park. And as we swing and slide and climb, I will be thinking about them and nothing else. Yes, I am blessed to have this day of right things.

And now a tiny voice is standing next to me asking to draw her a house, and I couldn't think of anything more I would rather do right now...