Okay, mommy-friends, this post is neither funny (no, Luke has definitely not been all that funny recently--read on), nor heart-wrenching, nor profound. Just some good stuff I heard tonight that I thought might encourage you, too.
Tonight, I went to a new parents' meeting at the school Luke will attend next year. Good information, good folks. It's a classical Christian school, so a fair amount of the information was about their mission statement, philosophy, etc. The headmaster shared that three key words (goals? or something like that) in what they want the kids to learn, from kindergarten right up through high school, are attentiveness, respect, and responsibility. (It's Charlotte Mason stuff, if you're familiar with her work).
Aha! That, my friends, is what we are missing around here. Luke, yes, but all of us really. Attentiveness, respect, and responsiblity.
Luke doesn't pay attention when he is told what to do, or when a question he has just asked is answered, or when he is called away from something he is doing. It's driving me crazy. But do I pay attention to him when I'm busy blogging or emailing or facebooking or cooking or reading? Luke has been speaking disrespectfully to me, to Sam, to friends, to other adults. I can't stand it. But do I always choose my words carefully and consider what they communicate to their recipient, be that Luke or Sam or anyone else? Luke hasn't been taking responsibility for his things: cleaning up his toys, putting away his books or his backpack, clearing his place. I'm sick of being responsible for everything. But how many pairs of shoes of mine are sitting by the front door, how many books and pieces of mail on the coffee table, how much stuff on the computer desk?
Attentiveness, respect, and responsibility. Good goals. I'm even thinking of planning a family study on them for the summer. Imagine if we all lived with those goals in mind: if we all paid attention to the needs around us, if we all respected each other, if we all took responsibility for ourselves and for others, too.
(I think I'm starting to sound a little bit like John Lennon, which is so not my goal, so I'll stop there. But just imagine it. I am.)
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2 comments:
I needed this reminder. Calvin and Luke must have been sharing ideas lately because we have the same problems. It is always good to step back and remember that they probably learned it from us...or at least that they can't unlearn it unless we model something better.
Touche!
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