When you look at this picture what do you see? An hour ago, when we had just gotten home for an acquaintances’ and I was in bedtime mindset, I saw my three year old son standing in the water. I was so frustrated as I was ready for them to be snoozing, so I called him in and we had an upset which meant straight to bed for him. After both kids were finally in bed (don’t judge, yes I look forward to them being in bed, but I also look forward to them being awake! 😉 ), I was reading on the couch when I realized what I had missed.

When we got home, he had climbed up the stairs, taken off his boots, and slipped his toes into the water. And he was quiet. Let me repeat that, my three year old was quiet. As I look back, he was standing in the water, hand resting on a chair for balance, and his eyes were watching the birds in the trees. I missed him being present. I missed being present. I have come to think of ‘being present’ as looking for what is important right now and in this moment– and I blew it.

After stepping out of the water, he proceeded to dump it out as any natural child would. So, I went and filled it up again, retrieved my son from bed, and had him step back in the water. I then asked what did he see, he saw a bird 20 yards away in a tree. What did he feel, he felt the chair he was holding on too. What else did he feel, he felt the cool water. I told him I was glad he wanted to stick his toes in the water, but it was also important to listen to Mama. And we talked about it. We went back to his room, I tucked him back in, then returned to my book.

Parenting doesn’t feel natural to me. Being present– looking for the important thing that is happening right now, isn’t easy for me. But I want it to be.