When the kids are quiet…

It’s rare for the kids to be quiet. Bedtime is one good quiet opportunity. Eating often brings some silence. Otherwise, if your house is anything like mine, quiet kids are an elusive phenomenon.

When they do get quiet, it can be both glorious and frightening.

Today, the Animal walked out of my bedroom where I was folding laundry. I could hear his little feet in the kitchen, so I wasn’t too concerned. A few shirts and shorts later, I realized I couldn’t hear him anymore. For a few moments, I thought, “That’s great! He’s playing all by himself.” But then, the images of gouged-out eyes or fires in the kitchen raged in my vision. I quickly — but stealthily (wouldn’t want to mess up a good thing if it was happening) — hurried out to find him. Sure enough, he was happily playing with his tool box. I tiptoed back into my room to keep working. And, as you would suspect, it was only a few short moments before he was yelling for me to get my attention and the silence was gone.

But in that silence, I realized what a paradox parenting can be. What are your paradoxical parenting moments? I want to hear about them!