Morning Routine Got Shorter

No more lights in the morning for 20 minutes! Yeah!!! They have new colored filters. Both of them are dark and relaxing. We do them at bedtime now and they can even fall asleep with them on. That SHOULD make our mornings that much easier - but don't count on it.

I found a paragraph that exactly describes what the twins do. I read it to Steve and he wanted it printed out. Sometimes it is hard to figure out what is going on, but when you read something like this it's so exact, so precisely what happens that you know without a doubt your reading about your own children. Suddenly it all makes sense.

Yesterday was prime example. We had to leave early for yonder city for their eye appointment. I got them up early. They were excited (because they LOVE going out) and I expected them to get right to business. I made their breakfast and put it out for them. BUT the strangest thing, though they were not fighting the routine and were happy to get ready to go, even with a helping hand they WOULD NOT move at more than a snail's pace. The more I asked them to hurry the slower they got. I looked at Steve and said, "You know, I think they don't know what hurry means. It's like they can't get the idea in their head."

We ended up leaving their breakfast on the counter and handing them an apple because they were not ready to go when it was time.  Can't have cereal and milk in the car and gluten free muffins are crumbly at best.

Well, I was so fooled and they so love when I am fooled. Sacrificing breakfast was worth it.

They have one pace – theirs. No amount of "hurry up everyone is waiting on you" will work – they must be in control and you have just told them they are. Need the child to finish lunch so everyone can go to the playground – he will eat five times slower than usual. Need the child to dress and line up, he will scatter papers, drop clothing, fail to locate gloves, wander around the room – anything to slow the process and control it further. Five minutes later he may be kissing your hand or stroking your cheek for you with absolutely no sense of having caused the mayhem that ensues from his actions.

  

All those days we were late for church, all those times they couldn't get into the car before speech? Yup! All calculated to control, to get a reaction, to get attention.  Does Missy and Buster sit there and go, "Okay, how can I best control this situation?" Sometimes, yes. Sometimes no. It's just how they operate, but push them, react, or get upset and you will see everything become very intentional indeed.

I pray that I might be WISE as a serpent and HARMLESS as a dove. I need to work on that dove look - totally expressionless in times of stress. :-)