In a previous blog, I talked about being careful what we wish for when we spend time complaining about the mess or noise our kids make. We should stop and think about how different (and lonely) our lives would be without our kids. The same is true for those of us who have active kids. Tyler drives me nuts sometimes with his high energy level but all it takes is for me to see a child who is physically unable to run, jump and play to make me realize that I am fortunate to have a healthy child.
When you’re caught in the midst of a whirlwind, it’s hard to see clearly. It’s only when we are confronted with other parents’ realities that we stop and say a prayer of thanks. I remember when Tyler was in daycare briefly after he was born- back when I had a regular 9 to 5. There was a baby girl born six weeks premature, same as Tyler. The difference between the two was as different as night and day, as the cliché goes. Tyler weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces at birth, more than many full-term babies. This little baby girl was underweight and underdeveloped. I remember thinking, “Wow, that could have been Tyler.”
And although Tyler is high energy I wouldn’t trade him for a child who sits all day like a bump on a log. He’s a chatterbox, but would I want to trade him for a child with speech delays?
As parents we are charged with the responsibility of raising the kids that God sends to us. Tyler was the gift presented to me and I have to learn to deal with his constant chatter and his high energy. It’s all part of the package, right along with his high intelligence. You see sometimes we want to pick and choose, we want to take the good things about our kids and leave the bad parts. But it doesn’t work that way. You have to take the total package. Tyler is a gifted chatterbox with a high energy level. That’s who he is, that’s the essence of what makes him Tyler. And that’s okay.
See also:
Does Being a Parent Make You Smarter?
How To Quiet Your Little Chatterbox