a momentous occasion!

Something happened today that I have been waiting to happen for a long time. I can't remember when I started to consciously think about it, but at some point it became an active thought in my brain and I almost couldn't wait until it happened. Well, today it did!
Before I tell you what it is that was so amazing, let me fill you in on a little background. Now, try as I might, I am not always a consistent parent, but one thing that I have persisted in doggedly has been having my children clean up their toys and such before bed. If things get too crazy during the day, I also make them clean up their messes before they go on to the next activity. This has been a challenge for me for more than one reason. First of all, taking the time every day to get 2 and 3 year-olds to pick up toys and put them in the correct spot, using up twice as much or more time than it would have taken me to throw just throw them in the toybox myself, gets me a insane sometimes. Now, I have continued to do this mainly for two reasons:

A. I think it's important that the children learn to do it young
B. I knew that the day would come when one of them would finally stop for a moment, before getting all their toys out at once and consciously think to themselves, "If I get every toy out at once, I will have all of them to pick up. If only get one out, I will only have to pick up one later."

Let's focus on B. It happened today!!!! Hyrum and Sara had some friends over to play. Whenever they have had friends over in the past, we ended up with a big mess at the end, but today was different. Hyrum's friend wanted to dump out all the toys and start playing when I heard Hyrum gasp. "No!" he exclaimed. "If we dump all those out my mom will make us pick them up and I don't want to!"
I was so happy I wanted to shout it on the roof so all the neighbors could celebrate with me. Luckily our roof has no easy access, so I didn't get the chance (sorry neighbors, maybe next time;).
All my coaching, coaxing, encouraging, exasperation, my (sometimes desperate) pleading, and various disciplinary method cocktails finally paid off! I can't tell you how fulfilling it is to see your child display an active understanding for a concept you have worked on literally for years. My mom always told me that whatever a child was doing (or not doing) while their parent is trying to teach them something, the information always goes in, even if the results don't surface until much later (see mom? I was listening!). Well mom was right, as usual.

While I'm on it, let me tell you something else my mom told me that has been a priceless gem of advice. I often call her up to tell her how tired I am or frustrated or lost or whatever, and it was on one of these occasions that she told me this. She said "Rachel, just remember that in all you do with your family, you are building something. It may be frustrating and draining at times, but always remember-YOU ARE BUILDING SOMETHING." That phrase has stuck with me and I hear it in my own head frequently. Today was a perfect demonstration of that and through all the drama, I hope that this small lesson has been one that Hyrum will keep and eventually enlarge into an understanding of personal responsibility and thinking before acting. If he does, then I know all this work for something so seemingly small will be worthwhile. And I would just like to add a little something to my mom's advice that was probably implied anyway, and that is to remember that in teaching a child you are building something eternal.