Earning Bedtime
I don't know if you know this, but the most exhausting activity under the sun is not an active one, but passive. And when I have been intensely engaged in the activity of "being disobeyed," I know I have earned my early bedtime.
Want to try it out? Find yourself a relatively obedient preschooler - late 4, early 5 is best. Ideally, the child will have been spending some time with "other kids" recently, and will have eschewed a nap for the last couple days. It is also beneficial if the child believes him- or herself to be a civil rights attorney.
Now: ask them to do something. Try something easy, like, "Come get in the car, honey." You'll have to ask again. "Come get in the car, please." For a really good workout, you'll get another 2 or 3 out of this one. "Right now, please. In the car." And finally, "Stop what you're doing and come get in the car RIGHT NOW."
Apply this method to every activity for the next 5 hours. "Get in bed." "Eat your lunch." "Clean your room." The true exhaustion comes from restraint - from patient reminders through gritted teeth while throwing in terms of endearment and gentle correction.
It is not the days where I do 6 loads of laundry while taxiing kids around town and finding time to practice piano and watch other people's kids and make dinner and clean the kitchen and change the sheets, etc., where I feel that I have earned my keep.
It is the days where two little girls sleep peacefully in their rooms after every activity throughout the day required more than 5 promptings and at least as many consequences.
It makes me feel like you stand no chance of truly understanding the Old Testament until you have been the parent of a preschooler.
Want to try it out? Find yourself a relatively obedient preschooler - late 4, early 5 is best. Ideally, the child will have been spending some time with "other kids" recently, and will have eschewed a nap for the last couple days. It is also beneficial if the child believes him- or herself to be a civil rights attorney.
Now: ask them to do something. Try something easy, like, "Come get in the car, honey." You'll have to ask again. "Come get in the car, please." For a really good workout, you'll get another 2 or 3 out of this one. "Right now, please. In the car." And finally, "Stop what you're doing and come get in the car RIGHT NOW."
Apply this method to every activity for the next 5 hours. "Get in bed." "Eat your lunch." "Clean your room." The true exhaustion comes from restraint - from patient reminders through gritted teeth while throwing in terms of endearment and gentle correction.
It is not the days where I do 6 loads of laundry while taxiing kids around town and finding time to practice piano and watch other people's kids and make dinner and clean the kitchen and change the sheets, etc., where I feel that I have earned my keep.
It is the days where two little girls sleep peacefully in their rooms after every activity throughout the day required more than 5 promptings and at least as many consequences.
It makes me feel like you stand no chance of truly understanding the Old Testament until you have been the parent of a preschooler.
Comments
As for me, I don't have pre-schoolers. However I babysat a preschooler once. She was quite like an attorney. Ironically, she was just as you described.
But I did get 2 hours of appreciation for this post. I cannot imagine an entire day of backroom deals, compromises and her lecturing me on how I am not letting her obey the dentist who came to her school because I wouldn't let her have juice.
But all that said, it is evident that this child is growing to understand the gospel and from an outsiders perspective, she is beautifully behaved regardless of the strong will and slight tantrums. When I say that the kid reflects the parents, I see things of grace and beauty. I am glad that I was asked to babysit and would gladly do it again cause she is cool...and we have some MAC movies to make.