Are you wiser than a 3rd grader?

Confession: Since our fabulous time in Florida it has been a hard road back to reality for our school days.

I think part of the problem is the anticipation of yet another exciting trip ahead of us. 4 sleeps until we leave for CT and a wonderfully heavy dose of family time!!!! (I don't think there are enough exclamation points for me on this one). I have a HARD time sleeping when I am anticipating something fun...more so than when I am anxious or have a lot on my to do list. I remember being the same way when I was little. Problem is, like everyone else this time of year, my to-do list is pretty lengthy, not to mention getting ready to travel and be gone from home again and so a good night's sleep would be helpful.

So today my 3rd grader and I were discussing the important values of being a good steward of the time given to us and what the word "procrastination" means. You see he has a certain consistent habit of drifting off to Never-Never Land when his mind is supposed to be planted solidly in the practical world of...MATH. (I know that just made several of you shudder violently).

Here's the thing though...math is NOT hard for him! He actually gets it and catches on to new material very well. Yet he and I have this dreaded battle every day trying to keep him on task. So this is why for the past week or so we have had the deep and difficult conversations about FOCUS.

TODAY we had a breakthrough!!! He decided to heed one of my multiple offers of advice all on his own. While I'm in the middle of some task in the kitchen he looks up at me and says, "I didn't know this could be fun!" I was elated...I think we both were. God met us in the kitchen today in one of my "fling to the ceiling" moments of prayer.

So here I am looking at the day ahead of me and the things I want to accomplish and I know I am my son's mom. I purposefully do not want to be extra busy in these days of December. I want time to pause and I am choosing to not go in certain stores and not run errands like a madwoman. Yet I know this too, the time I have been given is valuable and I have an awful tendency to push off the inevitable. Like I told Isaac today...whatever "it" is will still be waiting for me later, along with a whole lot of other somethings.

So today I am trying to put feet to my words and not be a "say only" mama. Being a parent is sure a serious amount of accountability! Taking my 3rd grade wisdom and running with it.