Sound advice

Who knew that you could shop for appliances and get great advice on life all in one trip?

The other night we were out getting prices on a new dryer and refrigerator at Sears.  Our kids tend to be a little on the loud side when we are in public.  By a little I mean a lot.  Lila likes to climb out of shopping carts and walk (run) with Brendan.  Their energy feeds of one another and it makes you want to pull your hair out.  I always feel like I look like that frazzled mom when I leave the house....

Anyways, after the very nice salesman walked around chatting with us and seeing our crazy wild children, he said this to us,

"I'm going to tell you something.  Enjoy this.  It only lasts for a short time and then it is gone."

Wow.  I always feel like the kids are bothering people when they act all nutso in public and I'm the mom who can't control them.  He was telling us to soak up their wildness and enjoy it.  Both his boys are away at school and he said he's lucky when they text him and he gets a short phone conversation.

I of course told him how he was in kindergarten and asked how to deal with all the outside influence he is now getting. 

"You instill those values in your home for what is right and then you just have to trust that they will do the right thing."

Hello!  He's right again.  It is so simple and true.  We can't control how others raise their children.  We teach our children right from wrong.  We put those good values into them and then trust that they will make the best choices.

Sometimes you just need someone else to put things in perspective.