Parenting 505

When potty training is still fresh in the history of a child, the last thing you want to see is that individual walk out of the bathroom looking like this:

 

I wasn't sure what to think except "I hope that's not what I think it is".  I was too horrified to cope at first so instead of looking or smelling I just marched him back to the bathroom.  All along the way I saw brown smudges on doors and other surfaces and my horror was growing...

Let me tell you, that when I found the source of the muck I was hugely relieved.  

Nutella.

Sometimes my body feels deficient and I will eat more fruit, more grain, or drink more water to feel balanced and better.  Drew must be going through a chocolate deficiency because this week everytime I turn around he is eating it like his life depends on it.

One day I found Camden toddling around with a couple of unwrapped Hershey kisses in his hands.  I followed crinkling sounds to the back of the couch where Drew was pumping himself, Camden, and our diabetic dog with my Valentine's stash of caramel-filled kisses.  I confiscated the chocolate and had Drew clean up the wrappers that were littered all over.  Then I saw where he was putting them.

 Exhibit A - the pop-up toy

 Exhibit B - it doesn't work so well when you stuff it with Hershey kisses and a dozen wrappers

The next day I heard more crinkling sounds issuing from behind the couch and found him with a box of my ferrero rocher chocolates.  The bright side is...there are less sweets around that I really don't need.

Just now it occurred to me that perhaps there is a connection between his chocolate consumption and the sudden change in his napping habits.  For some time he has needed a nap every other day but we have gone four days with unsuccessful nap times.  Hmmm. 

And now for the moral to the story.  "A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505. Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself. With which child will your patience, long-suffering, and other Christlike virtues most likely be tested, developed, and refined? Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"  Elder Lynn G. Robbins (to read the full talk go to http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/what-manner-of-men-and-women-ought-ye-to-be?lang=eng)

I'm sure I need each one of my children more than they need me in that regard.  What a wonderful opportunity to grow and learn parenting is!