Recently I have been noticing things around the house…underwear on the bathroom floor, a plate left on the table, a coat thrown on the table by the back door, shoes under the coffee table and on and on.  But the funny thing is…they are my things. I’m sure they’ve always been there but only recently have I really taken notice.  I notice them and then I think to myself…”well I just didn’t notice, I was busy, or someone was calling or I needed to get ready for this or that”.

Of course other people in my house leave things everywhere and I notice all the time.  I huff and puff at them and remind them in that strained tone to put this or that where it belongs.  I may have even used that dreaded “how many times do I have to tell you?” expression.  By noticing my things around the house I think I’m beginning to see that my kids are human, and that we’re not so different after all.  I feel like I have “good” reasons for leaving my things around. If I (an adult who has had plenty of time to learn where things are supposed to go, even be the one to decide where things go when not in use) can’t get them in the right spot every time, then how can I really expect my little kids to get it right all the time.  What would I think if they started huffing and puffing at me for my plate on the table or my underwear on the floor?

I have more to say on this subject…realizing our kids are little humans.  It’s something I’ve always tried to practice but only recently have I really begun to dig into it as I notice things about myself and how I relate to the world around me.