We have successes over here EVERY day!
The one that sticks out in my mind the most right now is...
last week we bought TLP two anoles. YUCK! They are his very own pets... in his own bedroom... and they are very small and fragile. He knows this. He knows that he is capable of taking care of them... or making the decision to hurt them. I told him that I TRUST that he is a good person... and trust that he will choose to take care of them... as a parent would take care of a baby. I told him that the decision is his to make... WILL I BE KIND AND SHOW THEM LOVE?????.... Or WILL I HURT THEM???? He told me that he doesn't want to hurt them. This time... I truly believe him. In my heart... I know that he wants to keep them safe.
Over this past week... I have watched TLP holding his anoles. I have heard him talking kindly to them. I have watched him show concern for them as to whether they are eating enough... whether he is giving them enough water... etc... etc.
He has a choice here... to love them... or hurt them!
I am giving him the freedom to choose...
but only after knowing TLP for 10 years... do I feel that he has earned that trust.
The anoles are alive and well still today. If that's not success... I don't know what success is.
Even through the hard times... and through the really rough days... there IS some success going on somewhere with these kids. Even if that success happens to be something as small as being able to get their teeth brushed without gagging.
Try to look for some of those little miracles and successes in your day. They really are there... I promise. It's just that sometimes, we are just so busy looking at the bad stuff that we forget to take some time to search for the good. There's good and bad in all of us, people. We're all human. We all make mistakes. Let your child make his mistakes... correct him... then give him a BIG HUG and get right back to living again. Remember, these kids need at least 18 HUGS a day to heal (at least I think that's what Nancy Thomas said.)
So..... Have you HUGGED your kid today??? : )
If not, please get up from your computer and go do that right now. Just wrap your arms around him and HUG him really tight.. then tell him that you love him... even if he sometimes makes some mistakes. If he wiggles and screams and tries to get away... then you know that your child REALLY needs a lot of hugs!!!!! Maybe even more than 18 a day... because it's going to be all of those hugs that are going to teach that child to trust you... and then love you. Then hopefully.... someday soon... YOU can go out and buy him a cage full of anoles... and know that you can trust him to love them... and take really good care of them... no matter how creepy you might think they are. ; )
Oh... by the way... we have added another anole to TLP's cage. (YUCK!)
His name is Luis!
Update:
I am sitting here listening to TLP as he is holding Laura and having this serious conversation with her. I am typing as he is talking... and he doesn't even know.
Very Cool! : )
“I love you, Laura!
I love you... my friend. Please stay here for the rest of my life so I can take care of you.
Remember this… we’ll make it in life. We’ll make it!
I’ll always be with you and never leave you alone… and that’s because I love you.
I’ll always be right here.
I love you, Laura!
I love you.
Just remember what I said to you.
I’ll bring you back to your friends now… and you don’t have to be afraid.
You can eat with everyone else now.
Larry and Luis, you be nice to Laura… do you hear me?
and Luis… you stop hogging all the crickets and share them with Laura.”
That was just soooooo sweet... and I just had to share it with all of you. ; )
