How great are your kids?

[Imakcerka]

Two trash days in a row DD2 age 8 has gotten up early and taken the trash and the recycling down and brought them back up.  Without being asked!  She picked up the playroom, without being asked.   She helped her little sister get a bowl of cereal while DH was busy with the Turkey yesterday.  She's growing up!  All the talks we've had about helping out around the house gives mom and dad the opportunity to do more with them is paying off.  So today she gets to go to the hobby store and pick out something fun to make.  We'll be doing it as a family!  LOVE LOVE LOVE how she's behaving lately!

Anyone else have kids who are surprising you with their awesomeness?!

[pianojazzgirl]

Wish I could post here, lol!

[Imakcerka]

Look very hard pianojazzgirl! 

[~cassie]

My kids are so much work that it can be hard to see the good at times.  But my 6 yr old fixes his younger brothers cereal in the morning.  My 4 yr old cheers his little brother on in the bathroom ;) and they seem to be working together a lot more instead of against each other.

[pianojazzgirl]

Originally Posted by Imakcerka 

Look very hard pianojazzgirl! 

Alright...

My kids can fight like cats and dogs, but every once in a while there's a glimpse of incredible sweetness and caring between them.  My dd in general is very sweet and patient with little kids (who are not her brother ).

[meemee]

YES!!!! it always does right after dd's growth spurt. 

she goes thru such a hard time during her spurts, that the sudden change makes me sit up and sigh with relief that the spurt is over.

however i will say i loooove watching dd grow up. those subtle changes where everything is no longer a battle but a discussion.  or better still when she stands her own ground. i love that. 

[SweetSilver]

I get to see my girls' wonderfulness mostly when we are out and about.  They are so sweet with the little kids, so charming and chatty with the adults.  I'm starting to see a little of that with each other as well, but it's baby steps.  My youngest still bounces and spins while she tells a story, and my oldest will talk endless about "her farm" off in the distant future.  It melts my heart, and that's awesome!

[jaam]

Ds has started to calmly say "ok" when I tell him he has to keep his coat/hat/mittens/whatever on to go outside. (Instead of the huge ordeal it used to be!) Dd has been doing lots of whispering and sneaking around, and is making secret lists of things she plans to make for everyone's Christmas gifts. 

eta: the sneaking and whispering is always done with the most adorable mischievous smile and giggles!

[Imakcerka]

Cute!  Mine painted a bunch of old mirror frames for me this weekend.  They actually asked if I needed help and I said sure those over there need to be painted.  An hour later all was done.  Then of course they fought over a bath towel and who had to shower first...

[hippiemum21580]

My 10 yr old son helps by giving my 2 yr old son baths sometimes, complete with bubbles and "cool" toys. And he washes his hair (2 yr. old lets HIM do it, but screams if I do it) lol My 8 year old makes coffee better than a  coffee house and is always offering to make me a cup. He also loves doing laundry. 6 yr old has begun sitting and doing his homework without me having to beg/plead/cajole.....lol 4 yr old has figured out how to mke his own bed. 2 yr. old has finaly begun responding to  me with an agreeable "ok" instead of defiance. :)

[swd12422]

My not-quite-4-year-old helps me carry groceries, opens the doors for me, and jumps to pick up things I've dropped. He loves to feed the dog, and the only part I do is pull the bag out of the closet so he can reach it, then put it back while he puts the bowl down. Without me telling him, he makes the dog sit and stay til the bowl is down.

He's unbelievably strong. He'll eat practically anything. Even though he'd live on bread and pasta and french fries if I let him, he loves veggies and fruit, and eats what I cook for dinner, even after he claims he doesn't like it before he's tasted it. (He usually admits he likes it, but gets a mental block against certain things based on their appearance.) He ALWAYS wakes up happy. He has never once awakened in the morning even the slightest bit grumpy. (Naps are a different story, but not often.)

The best thing he's done recently: Screamed for ME at 11:00 last night, instead of Daddy. He sounded angry, not scared or sad. When I went in to see what he wanted, he said angrily, "I want you in here NOW, because I LOVE YOU," and he rolled over and went back to sleep. Epic, for a kid who won't even let me do the bedtime routine without a fight. (It's ALL about Daddy right now.)

[Imakcerka]

DD1 made sure DD2 had her backpack ready this morning.  Put her umbrella in and looked for her coat.  Then she went through her folder to make sure that there was nothing that needed to be signed.  When DD2 was distraught because she didn't have an apple for snack but had to settle for pistachios or crackers DD1 politely asked if we could run by the gas station so that dd2 could get something she liked.  DD1 didn't want anything while we were there so it wasn't a ploy to get something for herself.  She also helped her with her shoes and put the toothpaste on her tooth brush.  DD2 made sure DD1 didn't forget her jacket and helped her brush her hair.  Sometimes they are just too great for me to even understand since yesterday they bickered all evening.

[SweetSilver]

Today, pushing the cart away from the checkout stand at the grocery store, my nearly-7yo gave a horrified gasp-- the peppermint candy she was carrying was (gasp!) UNPAID FOR!!!  After locating my 5yo's butterscotch at the bottom of the bag we went back to the (busy) cashier to pay for it.  The cashier balked a little, but I quietly insisted she take my 2 pennies, even though it would just be for show.  She took my pennies and put them in the charity jar.

      

[LynnS6]

My 7 year old is currently sitting in the front hall with the Christmas lights spread out, making a list of the lights that need to be replaced. She knows that checking the lights is a thing that I really hate to do!

[LCBMAX]

During his last cold, my almost 4 year old son would go to the tissue box, remove only one, blow his nose effectively and then cross the room to put the used tissue in the trash, all without comment or prompting. I sat and stared in shock.

Also, when we come in the (shoeless) house, he sits right on the hall bench to take off his shoes or get help, even if he has a new treasure he's excited to show daddy.

Also, he laughs in his sleep at least once a week, often more. I LOVE being woken up by that sound.

[meemee]

me : <apologizing for going off my rocker and sad that i didnt have better control over myself>

dd9 : ma its ok. i know how hard it is to control. sometimes you just have to get it off your chest and it makes u feel lighter. i know we shouldnt do it as it hurts others, but i know you love me and i know u dont mean it."

[Imakcerka]

When we lost our last baby both girls were there to help me through.  They tend to her tree and always have positive things to say.  When my family and I got into it or really just my dad, both girls told me family is all around us and not to be sad.  Also when we lost Lauren, they both told me it was good that we had our baby for a little while.  And that did feel good.  Because we did and they understood that.
 

Originally Posted by meemee 

me : <apologizing for going off my rocker and sad that i didnt have better control over myself>

dd9 : ma its ok. i know how hard it is to control. sometimes you just have to get it off your chest and it makes u feel lighter. i know we shouldnt do it as it hurts others, but i know you love me and i know u dont mean it."

And that deserves the biggest hug!

[Surfacing]

What a lovely thread! Dd2 plays with ds all day long in a way that he loves. It's soooo cute! And dd1 offered to give me a back rub the other day. So sweet! I have more examples but am too tired to think....... ZZzzzzz.......

[lavatea]

Um, this can be so hard when you're having a rough time. But such a good exercise.

DD carried DS2 around the grocery store for a little while yesterday during our shopping. She can be very helpful at times. And she told me this morning that she had forgotten to give me one of my Christmas gifts...it was a kiss.

DS1 has become great at responding to time outs (what a weird thing to post here, but comparing him to DD who will not respond to any sort of discipline...well this is huge in the way of showing me respect). He also quietly comes up and kisses DS2 at random times. He is frequently so loving and sweet.

DS2...well, he's a newborn. What more do I need to say?

[Ally Nathaniel]

Sounds like a dream.

You're probably doing something right as parents :-)

Ally