This morning was a great example of the power of positive energy.
J woke up and for the third Sunday in a row, argued about going to Religious School. Now, let me explain. I'm only half-Jewish. Last year, my son talked so much about being "a full Jew," that we decided to give it a go. Send him to school to learn about Judaism. He was so good, so interested, until regular school started to get tough and he just wanted to play with his friends. He kept at it...then second semester, he just didn't want to go. It's funny...even though I never attended religious school, and even though I am not a "good Jew," I wanted him to give it his all. I'm disappointed, but because it's a leap for him, he's doing something that is not traditional for us, he's doing it on his own, I think I can't put my foot down on it. I have nothing to back it up with.
So...this morning, rather than fight, I just gave him a hug and suggested he write a letter. And moved on to the next battle.
A woke up and started picking on M immediately, M starting in with her mind-blowing screeches. Instead of giving in to the chaos,I roped A into helping with breakfast and sat M on the countertop to play with egg slop. I talked to them and played with them, while indicating they were all grounded for the morning, meaning they had to read and talk to me instead of playing with their friends.
They all ate their breakfast happily and right now I can only hear Sponge Bob on the tv. Peaceful, quiet...quiet enough for me to write this.
A note: I just heard A ask his dad to read and D rebuked him, claiming frustration - giving in to the aggravation, but D caught himself. Asked, "You really want me to read with you?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Okay...let me get my coffee."
Ahhh...see...the power of positive energy. I'll let you all know when the whole thing falls apart. Which I'm sure is bound to.
Tap, tap, tap....
Tonight, D and I will go to dinner for Valentine's Day. He did something different - he had my sister send me an e-mail from "him." He dictated a sweet note, asking me to pick a place to eat. It was so sweet, so surprising, I got all teary. Like such a chick that I am, for all my grousing about the husband's inadequacies. I was reminded much of the old days...before giving birth to the Three Beauties.
Intention for the day: I want to enjoy the children, love them, be happy, firm and supportive. I want to enjoy dinner to the fullest, be happy-go-lucky. Enjoy the freedom while K, our babysitter, manages the kids.
2 comments:
hey.. i had a similar upbringing with struggling to maintain what it means to be a jew in a predominately christian district. I turned out non-religious and went to religious school probably for the wrong reasons. I now know what it means for me to be a jew and that's all that matters.
They will grow up not wanting to be tied down with the discipline of studying another religion/culture.. but it will hit them at some point or another and they will start to learn that they have a small difference in them.. and it will be fascinating to them when the time is right.
-k
Kato, that's what I'm hoping for J one day. I wanted to expose him just enough to get him thinking about what Judaism is in a technical sense - give him a kernel of experience to keep in his pocket of memory. One day...maybe the kernel will be something more.
Rick, I have noticed that those feelings about "not really being there" intensify when I myself am drained of energy. And I'm not even a full-time working mother. People are often pulled in so many directions it's quite the leap to show up for the kids.
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