Summer is almost over, and oh, are my boys showing it. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had a lot of fun this summer. We went to the beach and the zoo, the park and the movies. We’ve been at the pool almost every day. We’ve played games, had sleep overs, went to birthday parties, and competed on swim team. We have stayed up late and got up early. We are all running on empty from all the fun we’ve had in the past 2 1/2 months. I’m not sure any of us have the energy to start school next week.
I’m pretty sure none of us have the energy to be on our best behavior anymore. We’re all out of patience and fighting nonstop a little too used to seeing the same faces each and every day. We love each other, we’re just in need of some new friends to spend our time with right now. I’m sure they will all be glad to be back with school friends and have a break from brothers.
Because of all this brotherly togetherness this summer, I have found myself becoming the queen of second chances (and third, fourth, tenth…). I’m continually letting my boys try again to get it right, show me they can behave, earn a reward, or escape a punishment. I know this may not be the best parenting tactic, but at the end of the summer, this mama is tired too.
I have to believe that even though we are suppose to teach our children discipline and self control and respect, we are also supposed to show them love and forgiveness. What better way to explain the way God loves than to show it every now and then? Maybe they weren’t quite up to the standard I set to receive that bribe reward I was offering, but if they tried, sometimes that counts. I know we’ll all have to buckle down once the school year starts and we get busy again. I know I can’t always let them slide and I’ll have to be tougher on them, but we have one week of summer left. And as many times a day as God grants me that love and forgiveness, I’m quite alright giving a little extra right now too.