He did it right again

Thomas continues to learn what it takes to be a big brother… and I learn not to jump to conclusions in the process!

Episode 1: As I was homeschooling yesterday, the three youngest (Christopher, Thomas, and Marie) were being exceptionally loud and distracting, so I sent them to the back of the house with instructions to stay away from the older ones while they were trying to work. A few minutes later, Thomas is screaming down the hall again, making a huge racket.

I, being the good mommy that I am, immediately decide he’s being a nuisance and start “correcting” (read: yelling) him before I even find out what’s wrong.

Turns out, Marie had climbed to the top of Reilly’s bunk bed, and was in danger of falling off.

Yes, there were apologies, kisses, and thank yous from me!

Episode 2: Did I learn my lesson? No. Not by a long shot.

After supper the kids were all playing with Marie, and taking turns playing with a blanket on my bed. Thomas had come up to me several times, crying, for some imaginary boo-boo that he had received from one kid or another.

A few minutes later, he comes into the kitchen again.

Me: [exasperated] “Oh, here he comes crying again!”

T: “I know… I’m such a crybaby…”

Me: [sighing loudly and trying to be all noble] “No sweetie, you’re not. But you *do* need to quit crying and just TELL me what’s wrong.”

T: [sniffle] “Da kids were pwaying wif a bwanket, and it accidentally got on Marie’s face, and I was afwraid she was going to suffocate. I was trying to be her hewro and get it off of her.”

Oh yeah, I felt like a HUGE loser after that one. I hugged him tightly and told him how proud I was of him, and then we went in together and let him “be a hero.” [Marie, on the other hand, was NOT happy being rescued, because she was having fun having the blanket tossed on her face…. but we were going for the principle of the thing here!]

Maybe by the time they grow up, I’ll have gotten a handle on this whole thing!