I got this mom...

As the girls are getting older I am giving them more responsibility, like getting their own snack, or putting away their laundry. I am really enjoying their ability to do some of those things themselves, but there are times when I have to remind my dear oldest, Hannah, that she is still a kid and that as the mom I do the disciple, the teaching, and the picking of kids up. She is good at telling me when she does not want my help by saying, "I got this mom" and I love hearing that. It reminds me that I need to take a step back, that I need to start trusting her to make good choices for herself.

Last Saturday I was slow to get up with the girls, and when I walked in I saw that Hannah had opened the computer, started it up, went onto Starfall (a favorite website for the girls) and was listening to a book with her two sisters. She looked at me and said, "You can go back to bed, mom, I got this. I can even get breakfast for us!" Although I was tempted to crawl back in bed and enjoy a few more minutes of sleep, I told her, "I am Mom and I will gladly get you some breakfast."

There will be a day for me to sleep in, but while Rachel Lee is still so young I want to be there just in case she needs more help than a 5 year old can manage, and I want my 5 year old to be a 5 year old and not try to grow up too quickly just because she is the oldest. Right now it is a source of pride for her that she can do things by herself and for her sisters, but I pray that she never feels burdened as the oldest that she has to do more than the younger girls. Childhood is a journey, and I want it to last as long as it can for my dear ones!