No Monsters Allowed

Creed looked at me two days ago and said, “I wish I was two again.”

I figured this comment was just a desire to forget about school and to spend his days playing with his former babysitting colleagues Aaron and Carigan. At worst, it was a statement made while he was angry at his brother so he was wishing for a time before Heath was born.

I asked to be sure. I found out I was wrong.

“I didn’t have so many aches and pains,” he lamented.

My six year old is already complaining about aches and pains! I had to laugh.

I reminded him of the benefits of being six. Not only can he run faster than a two year old, but he can also reach higher since he is taller. And, even better, he can go to the bathroom by himself!

He smiled. That seemed to satisfy his concerns.

This morning, as I tried to wake him to get ready for school, he told me he was getting too old cause he just can’t stretch like he used to do.

Where does he come up with this stuff? Yeah, he probably listens to us.

That’s why his knees ache from time to time, or his back hurts. You know it isn’t real when he complains that he is feeling fat. He doesn’t have an ounce of body fat!

It proves the point that they listen to us. They know our aches and pains. They know our concerns about ourselves. They know our weaknesses.

My children know my weaknesses as well as anyone. They also know my doubts and my fears. It’s a little disturbing. And it shows me that I need to “woman up.”

I don’t want to teach them a lifestyle of complaining. I’ll have to take the no monsters allowed approach.

The boys worry about monsters invading the house at night — at least that is their excuse at bedtime. Repeatedly they have been told that monsters aren’t real. But, just in case, I remind them:
Witches melt with water.
Vampires have to be invited into your home.
Werewolves only appear on full moons.
The boogie monster only picks on nose pickers.

I’m kidding about the last one, but it always makes Heath smile because he has a few issues with wandering fingers.

So out with the monsters, the complaints, and the fears.

In with the good thoughts, fun times, and cheers.