Last Updated on November 29, 2023 by The Smetz Files
In this post I reflect on the difficulty of handling disappointment with young kids.
Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday at church. The children’s choir led the procession into the sanctuary waving palm fronds. The service paved the way for Holy Week and all the options to celebrate upcoming Easter with our church family.
Our minister’s sermon centered on the idea that becoming is not easy work. Her message got me thinking about the ways we try to model that for our kids. We spend a lot of time talking to them about developing healthy habits, making responsible choices, and acting on what is right. None of which of these is particularly easy.
Our kids spend a lot of time practicing their respective sports and working hard to be successful at school. Often they are rewarded for their efforts, other times they feel the disappointment of coming up just short. Becoming is not always easy. Dealing with that disappointment isn’t easy either.
One of our minister’s sermon illustrations was how her toddler daughter follows her around daily and narrates what her mom is doing. It made me laugh, because my two did the same thing. Sometimes they still do in a more sophisticated, developmentally appropriate way. This made me think about the enormity of our responsibility to model how we handle the difficulties of becoming.
So, this week as we celebrate aspects of Holy Week and wrap up school and sports obligations before a much-needed week of spring break, I’m reflecting on the idea of becoming and how difficult it is.
Read more of my simple musings of a small town mom!
