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Company
COMPANY Some friends came to visit today. We wanted to enjoy talking with them, but our children kept interrupting. We found ourselves getting angry with our kids for not leaving us alone to visit. Then we remembered being sent away as children when company came to visit our parents. How we resented not being able to stay in the room with the adults. Now we’re the adults, and we’re the ones who want to send our children away. We resisted the temptation to send our children away.When we encounter this situation, we can acknowledge their desires to be included by telling them they could stay in the room while we visited with our friends. We might also reassure them that we will talk with them and play with them, just not now. Now is time for adult conversation.Even if we are only moderately successful, over time our children will come to see that we have time for them and their friends. The adult conversation may be interrupted many times by children’s questions, but at least we don’t have to yell at them, or banish them from the room. Sometimes we involve them in a separate, special game or activity in the same room during an adult visit. We want our children to learn respect for others. But we know we have to show them respect first.Remembering that children need to feel included makes it easier to treat them with respect.
Click here to listen to this meditation. This excerpt is from Daily Meditations for Parenting Our Kids by Thomas Wright. Click below for more information.
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