About connecting...

Noah Jon 3.5 years

There is a sweetness to this little man. I saw it immediately when he was laid on me after birth-- his eyes locked with mine and I could sense it. He smiled very early and spent all his early days tracking Luke around the house with his eyes. It's an awareness of others, of his surroundings and a desire to connect with those around him. He questions have always been inquiries about the whereabouts of family members or why someone was sad. Understanding this about him and then seeing some of the recent behavior broke my heart. He had taken to brash reactions, unkind words and yes, even hitting (gasp). The techniques that worked with Luke during similar phases were failing me and I was at a loss. He seemed so defensive and lost. Then I starting reading this book. None of the ideas are new to me, they are reminders of the parenting books I have read, the education and child development classes I have taken, and the positive interactions I remember having with my parents. But, the ideas here are concise and ring of truth. In the past week I have been focusing on connection again. I am pleased to report that, for the most part, I have my Noah back. It's a daily, moment to moment decision on my part though. It's about choosing peace and connection (which is easy this time of day when they look like angels in their beds and not so easy when Noah and Luke are making demands of me while I wrestle their poopy brother). I am working on it.