Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Hug

Setting: We are at the Great Wolf Lodge. The kids have all been getting along with each other swimmingly. Seriously has been just some beautiful family time together. I'm sitting watching Elaina and Ben color some coloring pages in the "Cub Club" room, and Scotty and Jack are off playing the game of Magiquest together. Just as my mind begins to wander into the happy thoughts about how well the kids have been getting along Jack and Scotty appear... Jack: (handing me his wand) I quit. I'm done with this. Scotty: He is just mad at me. Jack: (lip quivering) He embarrassed me in front of a whole bunch of big boys. He just wanted to be cool in front of them! Scotty: I was joking! And there were like TWO boys standing there. Jack: No! He said I was just a puny wizard magi! Right in front of them! It was so embarrassing! Scotty: (lip quivering) I said I was sorry! Jack: He doesn't mean it. He keeps saying "but..." after it. Mom: Scotty, do you feel bad? Are you sorry you hurt his feelings even if you were joking? Scotty: (lip quivering) Yes! Jack: No, he doesn't mean it. Mom: Follow me. You two can sit here in this corner and work it out. When you both come back to me happy -and I'm your mom, so I can see it on your faces!- then you can go back to playing. This has been a very nice vacation, and you aren't going to ruin the fun on your last day of the Great Wolf Lodge. Now sit. They sit and stare at each other and I go back to the little guys in the Cub Club. A while later they are back. Scotty: He won't accept my apology! Jack: Because you don't mean it. (Wiping his eyes now) Scotty: yes I do! (Rubbing his eyes now) Mom: Jack, how many times did Jesus say to forgive? Jack: a lot. Mom: 70 x 7 times Scotty: that's 490. Mom: that's a lot. What He meant was "ALWAYS." It may be hard sometimes, but you have to. Now, Scotty, hug him. And Scotty squeezes him hard and jack begins to grin. Jack: (chuckling a tiny bit) That's more of a squeeze. Scotty lightly puts his arms around him while laughing. Jack: (chuckling) That's not a hug either. Scotty hugs his head hard. They both are cracking up now. Mom: Now, Jack, Scotty will let you put your new woopee cushion under him every night at dinner for the whole time we are at Aunt Mo Mo's. So he can feel what its like to be embarrassed. Scotty: Yes! And I won't even say that it is a woopee cushion! Mom: He will just say "Excuse me." They are cracking up. Jack: ( a thoughtful, considering look on his face) Hmmmmmm, I guess that's good. At home, I have left their squabbles alone. I have not intervened for about the past 2 years. And they have had fewer and fewer squabbles. But on MY HAPPY FAMILY VACATION ... Well, I had vision of happiness and joy, and I couldn't let them ruin that : )

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