The Walk

One afternoon last week, after T finished his snack, I told him in my most cheerful voice we were going for a walk. Let the unhappy dance begin. "Walking is boring." I completely understand that. My preference would be to run, but he would whine the whole time about how slow I was running. So off we went, after arguing about whether or not he needed a coat ("It's HOT outside," he insisted, until... about a half mile into the walk at which point he started complaining about how cold he was -- and he was wearing his coat and hat and gloves).


He crabbed and complained during the whole walk. He lagged behind. He refused to answer questions about his day. I remained cheerful and smiling throughout, refusing to be dragged down -- even though my fingers and face were freezing too.

At the end when I told him he could run to our driveway, he declined. When I started running, he announced that he didn't need to run in order to beat me, and he started his racewalking. So I ran faster until he was goaded into running (and beating me). Walking into the house I thanked him with enthusiasm for walking with me. He grumped. Maybe even stomped.

That night in bed, I asked him what his favorite part of the day was. "Playing Mario Kart," he said. Then a pause. "And walking with you. I like being with you."

All to say: never give up. Never give up. Never ever give up.

Comments

  1. KellyJanuary 24, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    I love this story - you didn't give up, and it paid off. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MaryJanuary 24, 2013 at 10:58 AM

    This is fantastic. Good job, mama.

    ReplyDelete
  3. knJanuary 24, 2013 at 8:56 PM

    I was an extremely moody child. My mom was often as you describe yourself during this walk. She as also often, grumpy and couldn't handle my moods. We are very close now and I know it's because in the past, when I really needed someone to show me how great the world was (when I was feeling like it really wasn't) she stood by me. It does mean the world to a child and it will be remembered. What a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. nicJanuary 25, 2013 at 11:24 AM

    love, love, love this. you're giving me hope, and some days that's a scarce commodity 'round these parts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. PaulaJanuary 26, 2013 at 1:44 PM

    Well done, Mom.

    ReplyDelete
  6. EleanorJanuary 29, 2013 at 8:33 AM

    Never give up. Thanks for the reminder. Yesterday was a "giving up" kind of day, but I fought on. And today is a new day. :) (By the way, you used to follow my previous blog....)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Autumn Leaves -- Too Quickly

Image
When I was younger, fall was my favorite season. It seemed, as I day-dreamed out the school windows, that the crimsons, golds, and fiery oranges were a painted canvas to be enjoyed for weeks on end. Now the leaves are a fleeting show of glorious colors one weekend only to be ripped off by a windstorm the next, leaving us to stare at a world of gray and white for the next seven months. Perhaps if I actually had a window to look out while working, I could contentedly watch the season ease into into its show throughout the weeks of September and October, until finally exploding into the grand finale -- and not feel so cheated when the leaves are so unceremoniously flung to the ground to make way for the coming snow. Oh, autumn, to quote Marvell: "...yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found..." So while I was at Green Lakes over the weekend, I took time to just soak in the colors, albeit with a five year old at my side peppering m
Read more

What's Working

Claudia at  My Fascinating Life  wants to know what's working in our lives. I've been pondering this for several weeks now. A lot of things are not working the way they should be. My resolve to exercise more has been thwarted first by getting my period every other week over the course of five weeks -- the HRT pills were NOT working -- and then a recalcitrant and painful case of the shingles in my hip, which means no running or biking. This of course means my resolve to lose weight is not working either -- and doesn't bode well for an early triathlon attempt. My one word for this year "declutter" is not working out at all as I'd hoped. I started with the kitchen table. I get it decluttered. Two days later....back to square one. Not being able to recycle the hundreds of papers that come home from kindergarten when a certain child is around to see what is going on doesn't help. But this is supposed to be a posting about what is working. So here goes: Tim
Read more

Adopting the Older Child -- Part 4: Power Struggles

Image
The stairs at the right of the photo were the site of one of our early power struggles -- T wanted to jump from the platform, and I didn't want to him cracking open his skull. "I don't like you. You mean." I hear that a lot, typically in response to things like "Time to pick up your toys," or "You need to take your vitamin," or "It's time to get dressed for school," or "Time to brush your teeth." Basic, every day power struggle stuff. T wants to keep playing, doesn't want to go to school, doesn't like any of his clothes, doesn't understand why he needs to brush his teeth twice a day every day, and most definitely does not want to take those yucky vitamins. He even rebels at being called to the dinner table. I try to avoid power struggles by using the options approach: "It's time to get ready for school -- do you want to get dressed first or brush your teeth first?" Or, "It's time to get
Read more