parents are supposed to be leaders. unfortunately, ever since i can remember, i've always been a follower. as a child, as a teen (much to my parents' dismay...can we say "peer pressure"?) and even today i would rather "go with the flow" as opposed to stepping up and taking the lead. but as a mom, i realize that it is my duty to be an example for my children. sometimes, however, i find that they set more of an example for me.
i was reminded of this last week when it appeared that a strange "freaky friday" type turn of events had transformed my 7 year old into the mother and me into the child. it began when i let a not-so-nice word slip out of my mouth while in madelyn's presence. it wasn't a horrible word, but keep in mind that this is the child who reprimands me for saying "oh my gosh".
"awwww, i'm telling god!" she said, her eyes and mouth wide open as if she'd seen a ghost.
"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to. and you don't have to tell him, he already knows...and he's not happy with it, either." i smiled.
at some point during the day, i changed into a t-shirt that i've had since spring break 2001. what can i say, i'm a pack rat when it comes to getting rid of clothes, especially novelty tees. it's a dr. pepper shirt, as indicated by the dr. pepper logo on the back, but the front of the shirt simply has 2 words printed across it: heavy drinker. madelyn stared at it and sounded out the words.
"heavy drinker. hmm. you're a heavy drinker? what's that mean?"
"no, it's a dr. pepper shirt," i said in my defense.
"do you like dr. pepper?"
"um, well, no. but the shirt was free and i...i don't know...it's just a shirt!" hmpf. strike 2.
but never have i been so proud, or felt like it was madelyn who was setting the example for me than when i went to tuck her in bed that same night to find that she had fallen asleep with her bible wide open beside her. my baby had fallen asleep while reading god's word. i stood in the doorway and smiled. but then my smile of pride turned to tears of guilt. how long has it been since she found me reading my bible? here i was, a 31 year old woman staring at a 7-year old child who is probably the greatest example of how i need to be living my life.
madelyn is forever keeping me in check according to her own standards. like scolding me if i say something that she deems inappropriate. or reminding me that "it's against the law to text and drive". i have to laugh at how completely straight-laced and proper she is sometimes. but for the most part i am extremely proud of the young lady she has become. because although she may be innately good, i'd like to think that i can take some credit and hope that the way i've raised her has led her to become the way she is today.
i was reminded of this last week when it appeared that a strange "freaky friday" type turn of events had transformed my 7 year old into the mother and me into the child. it began when i let a not-so-nice word slip out of my mouth while in madelyn's presence. it wasn't a horrible word, but keep in mind that this is the child who reprimands me for saying "oh my gosh".
"awwww, i'm telling god!" she said, her eyes and mouth wide open as if she'd seen a ghost.
"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to. and you don't have to tell him, he already knows...and he's not happy with it, either." i smiled.
at some point during the day, i changed into a t-shirt that i've had since spring break 2001. what can i say, i'm a pack rat when it comes to getting rid of clothes, especially novelty tees. it's a dr. pepper shirt, as indicated by the dr. pepper logo on the back, but the front of the shirt simply has 2 words printed across it: heavy drinker. madelyn stared at it and sounded out the words.
"heavy drinker. hmm. you're a heavy drinker? what's that mean?"
"no, it's a dr. pepper shirt," i said in my defense.
"do you like dr. pepper?"
"um, well, no. but the shirt was free and i...i don't know...it's just a shirt!" hmpf. strike 2.
but never have i been so proud, or felt like it was madelyn who was setting the example for me than when i went to tuck her in bed that same night to find that she had fallen asleep with her bible wide open beside her. my baby had fallen asleep while reading god's word. i stood in the doorway and smiled. but then my smile of pride turned to tears of guilt. how long has it been since she found me reading my bible? here i was, a 31 year old woman staring at a 7-year old child who is probably the greatest example of how i need to be living my life.
madelyn is forever keeping me in check according to her own standards. like scolding me if i say something that she deems inappropriate. or reminding me that "it's against the law to text and drive". i have to laugh at how completely straight-laced and proper she is sometimes. but for the most part i am extremely proud of the young lady she has become. because although she may be innately good, i'd like to think that i can take some credit and hope that the way i've raised her has led her to become the way she is today.
