23 February 2011

Of Training

When your child, through her sniffles, tears and snotty nose, asks to snuggle after a very frustrating hour of tantrums and bouts of discipline, heads butting against one another, your heart sighs. 

It's a moment of freshness, starting anew. 

A minute to simply rest on the couch, holding your toddler like you've rarely done since she learned to move around on her own and, thereby, had a choice.  She nestles her head into your chest and you cover her curly hair in every kiss you have.  And you sway just a little.

When she offers up in the tiniest voice a request to watch her favorite cartoon, you stick to your guns - the punishment stands.  And she knows it.  And does not argue.  Simply accepts.

And snuggles.

You realize it may have been worth the struggle.  Because this parenting thing isn't always about the now.  It's about treasuring the moment in which we live, but also about storing up treasures for the future of our young ones. 

And sometimes there are tough moments. 

But we know.  Deep in our hearts. 

We're living in the now, but training for the then.

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