Cow Slobber and Horse Blood

My husband and I are spending a relaxing, kid-free weekend with friends at their farm.  Today I took a two-and-a-half hour nap.  There is something about being present in nature that is very relaxing.  While we do have cell-phones as a link to technology, much of our time was spent outside, enjoying the spring weather, listening to the frogs, crickets, and other natural sounds of the farm.

Usually my children join us, and take the job of feeding the horses and cows.  I dutifully took their place today.  It is funny how the cows will take the "cow candy" right out of your hand.  The horses are much more graceful, refined animals.  One of the two horses will let you pet him, even after a horsefly just drew a few drops of blood.  Needless to say my hands were messy when the feeding experience was over.

The farm is muddy, with cow pies scattered throughout.  Bugs and critters abound.  The dogs greet you with dirty paws.  The view of burning trash piles are visible in the distance.  Yet the moon and stars are bright, and the rhythm of nature is relaxing.  The good conversation with best friends is refreshing.  With such benefits, the dirt and the slobber seem irrelevant.  The privilege of feeding the animals is rewarding.

This has been a refreshing weekend, indeed.

Rest Well, My Angel

"It's not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them."

Those were the words from a former mentor of mine, and are perhaps the best parenting advice I have received.  It is not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them.  Let that sink in for a minute.

It is no secret that I am a Type A individual. Type A individuals work hard. Type A individuals try to never miss work. Type A individual will go to work when they are sick, unless there is clear documented fever, vomiting, uncontrolled diarrhea, or a swab positive test for flu. We simply don't miss work.  And we don't let our kids miss school either.

I guess it's no surprise that type A individuals also have a high risk for early heart disease and heart attack. They tend to sleep less well. They tend to suffer from high levels of burn-out and stress. Yes, they get a lot done, but to their own peril at times. Perhaps trying to mold my children to be like me in this regard is not such a good idea after all.

My daughter has a pretty bad cold right now. Her test confirmed she does not have strep. She does not have fever. But she was up pretty late the last two nights due to a disruptive cough. I took her to the clinic, and we all agree this is likely viral. She is on day four of illness, so should start feeling better soon.

She also is going to church camp this weekend. This means she is likely to go to bed very late, around midnight, and wake up relatively early. She will be in a room with many others, so sleep quality is questionable.  She has two tests at school today, but not until the last two class periods. She woke up early this morning, but is now sleeping soundly after I re-dosed her cough medicine.  My husband is home today, and is clearly able to drive her to school later. Letting her sleep in a little and go to school late is a reasonable suggestion, but for some reason this is a difficult decision for my Type A personality self.

It is not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them.  While teaching my children to have a strong work ethic is good, it should also be rational.  Having her miss a few classes without any missed tests, to give her body time to heal and rest is much more rational.  

Rest well, my angel.