When She Hides...Far Away...
Elie hides.
Every Sunday after our Traditional Worship Service (tm) we have fellowship time. You know, coffee, juice, donut holes, cookies. My kids used to call it Donut Sunday when we only did it twice a month. Now, it's just a normal part of every Sunday. It's a good opportunity to talk to people that we might not see too much through the week.
And the kids love the donut holes.
In fact, one Sunday a couple months ago they [gasp] ran OUT of donut holes. Elie walked up to the table, didn't see any donut holes, and ran to my office crying. She didn't turn the lights on and she ran behind the chair and she cried. Now, I was really tempted to tell her she's just being silly - it's only donut holes after all - you know, buck up - shake it off - all those dad-isms I'm supposed to be so good at.
But I realized how much I do that. Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't run off and hide behind chairs and cry. But, when even little things don't happen they way I want them too, well, I withdraw. I guess I hide, too.
So, a couple nights ago the girls didn't want to go to bed (heh, at 4 and 7 they NEVER want to go to bed). Rachel typically gets LOUD demonstrating her displeasure with the injustice of bedtime (on those uncommon occasions when she's been up to late already and acts out because she's OVER tired). That's easy to deal with.
Elie hides.
She used to hide under the table, but we rearranged the furniture and it's not secluded enough. Now she goes up on the steps past the landing and pouts.
I always call her out. Not to yell at her or to tell her she's being silly. I call her out so that she can deal with her disappointment instead of just letting it bottle up inside.
I know a little about not dealing with disappointments. It ain't pretty when it finally hits the fan.
I guess I understand why Elie hides.
'Cause sometimes I still hide.
From a song I wrote for Lori years ago - but is for my girls too:
Every Sunday after our Traditional Worship Service (tm) we have fellowship time. You know, coffee, juice, donut holes, cookies. My kids used to call it Donut Sunday when we only did it twice a month. Now, it's just a normal part of every Sunday. It's a good opportunity to talk to people that we might not see too much through the week.
And the kids love the donut holes.
In fact, one Sunday a couple months ago they [gasp] ran OUT of donut holes. Elie walked up to the table, didn't see any donut holes, and ran to my office crying. She didn't turn the lights on and she ran behind the chair and she cried. Now, I was really tempted to tell her she's just being silly - it's only donut holes after all - you know, buck up - shake it off - all those dad-isms I'm supposed to be so good at.
But I realized how much I do that. Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't run off and hide behind chairs and cry. But, when even little things don't happen they way I want them too, well, I withdraw. I guess I hide, too.
So, a couple nights ago the girls didn't want to go to bed (heh, at 4 and 7 they NEVER want to go to bed). Rachel typically gets LOUD demonstrating her displeasure with the injustice of bedtime (on those uncommon occasions when she's been up to late already and acts out because she's OVER tired). That's easy to deal with.
Elie hides.
She used to hide under the table, but we rearranged the furniture and it's not secluded enough. Now she goes up on the steps past the landing and pouts.
I always call her out. Not to yell at her or to tell her she's being silly. I call her out so that she can deal with her disappointment instead of just letting it bottle up inside.
I know a little about not dealing with disappointments. It ain't pretty when it finally hits the fan.
I guess I understand why Elie hides.
'Cause sometimes I still hide.
From a song I wrote for Lori years ago - but is for my girls too:
I want to hear her voice when she cries
I want to see the love in her eyes
I want to hear her calling my name
Every time she tries to hide...far away...
Comments