We all have a story to tell.
History shows that many intelligent people and many great leaders were story tellers.
So, that of course must mean that must our children are going to be successful as well, because boy can they talk. When many children are between the ages of 3 or 4 all the way up until to 10 years or so…they don’t shut up! And then … it strangely drops off at 11, but anyhow…
It’s true.
You know what I mean.
Your children tend to tell you something step-byyyyy-step-byyyyy-step-, byyyyyy sttttteppp; like a recipe.
Here you are, waiting impatiently for the end (if you even listen that long), then probably forget what they’ve even said. Sometimes they do too.
Being a parent, this is par for the course.
However, do you ever feel like just when you are in the middle of something, your child has the longest story to tell?
Sometimes you hear what they are saying and politely grin and say, ‘tell me more’, but you’re not really in to it.
I understand.
It just never seems like there’s enough time to sit and listen to them.
In this day and age we are always rushing off to somewhere, and if we aren’t rushing to somewhere we are rushing from somewhere and if we aren't dashing to something, we are rushing through something.
Once in a while, I feel the urge to wave my hand at them and sputter…
’ Okay, okay already…just spit it out!’
But somehow, I continue listening, while my grin gets bigger and magically my patience gets greater. But not without gritting my teeth.
I feel bad about it. I know that the reason they want to tell me stories is because they trust me, they love me and want to share who they are, and what they see, with me. And sadly, the less I show my interest, the less they want to keep talking.
They can feel my mood, see the rolling eyes and hear the tapping of the foot, even if I try to conceal it.
So, in keeping this in mind, and try to be patient by looking at it this way; they are only little once. And even though I hate waiting 5 whole minutes for my son or daughter to explain what happened on the playground, I try to give them my full attention…it’s not a long time out of my life and if I don’t listen to them now, what makes them think I will listen to them later?
They won’t always be this cute, nor will they always need to use so many words to explain things.
So Savor the Stories.
Someday you’ll be begging to hear one.
Amber