Trauma at the Zoo.

We have been crazy busy and wonderfully so and blogging has fallen by the wayside. I've had lots to talk about and it rattles around in my head like a jar full of marbles.

J started his Kindergarten enrichment program two weeks ago and he LOVES it. Being a male and a five year old, we don't get much information out of him. There are occasional spurts where we learn very enlightening things like:

"I went to four rooms", or "My teacher is fun" and "A soft answer turns away wrath."

Yogurt must also be a big deal in the K class, because that was a request after week 1.

Needless to say the drive there and back and all that entails involves a huge part of our Fridays. The bonus is that I have precious, precious time with Miss A and Mr. O. I took them to sewing time at the church last week, then we had lunch and went to the zoo. Miss A got to go and sew with the "big girls" and ate it up. After an hour and a half, she was begging for some nursery time, but she did really well.

I'm always reminded what a neat place our Zoo is. It DOES need updating and some renovations, but there are some real gems, too. The chimpanzees had me utterly captivated. Miss A had to make me move on to other exhibits and we had our first public breakdown: over the elephant slide, or should I say its absence.

Places that are designed to attract children should post prominent signs at the entrances when they do away with a popular attraction:

"DO NOT PROMISE YOUR 3 YEAR OLD THAT SHE CAN PLAY ON THE ELEPHANT SLIDE BECAUSE IT IS G-O-N-E!"

Likewise, I, as a mother need to learn not to promise my child we will do or see something that can possibly die, be given away or taken down even though it stood there SINCE I WAS A CHILD.

"Yes, dear one, we will see the giraffes today providing they have not died since we last saw them. Do you understand that if the giraffes are all dead we cannot see them? Good."

When we discovered the slide was broken and Miss A broke down, I quickly realized that she was not throwing a tantrum, but was really and truly grieving over the loss. She loved the elephant slide, it had always been there and now was gone. My poor girl was heart broken. Instead of rebuke for crying she got a lot of affection and empathy from me.

In Bible study small group we had talked about teaching our children about trials and how even if it seems inconsequential to us, it is big to them and it matters. Even at this young age, I do not want to shield my children from all trials and tribulations, but rather walk with them and help them to endure, teach them to call out to Jesus and trust that God does and allows things to happen for his glory and our good.

I would much rather trials and tribulations be a normal thing (reasonably) for them rather than something that hits them upside the head when they leave the house at eighteen or so.

I also want to be sympathetic and attentive to what they are going through and not dismissive when something is truly going on. My prayer is that now we are laying the groundwork for them to know that Mom and Dad are a safe and secure place to talk to about burdens and fears and difficulties (where they are pointed to Christ!) so that as they grow and burdens become bigger and more scary they are not reluctant to come to us (and always be pointed to Jesus) and learn run to Him on their own.

Hmmm. Makes the newborn days seem pretty easy. : )