The girls had an inset day today and as a treat I drove JJ to school so he did not have to ride the bus which requires him to leave home 80 minutes before school starts. Today we drove the 11 minute car journey and wondered why on earth the bus journey takes such a very long time!
That's not what this post is about though. I was on the journey back home when I started to reflect on how very lucky I am that JJ sets his alarm and gets himself up in the morning. I have many friends with 12/13 year old children who have a battle each day to get their child up and dressed. I am truly lucky and very, very grateful that I don't have this fight with JJ. Of course it could all change, the hormones are arriving and it could get much more tricky but for now, I am just happy that he is generally a really good lad and great fun to spend time with too.
After a few recent episodes of having to talk to JJ and help him understand that he is not quite an adult yet and that some of his comments are now inappropriate coming from a child to an adult, it is pertinent for me to spend some time pondering what it is about him that makes me really thankful.
Here is my list and I'm sure if I took more time it could be even longer -
- He gets up, dressed and fed in the morning without any prompt from me and with no fuss
- Even if it is pelting with rain he walks to the school bus wthout a bad word passing his lips
- He helps one of his sisters with their maths homework, so I can help the other one
- He likes to look smart for school and takes pride in getting his tie just right
- He does his homework without much prompting and to a good standard
- He still gives me a bedtime kiss every night
- He wants to chat to me and tell me what is going on in his life
- He allows me to talk to him, even about the difficult stuff that can be embarassing for anyone
- He does the household recycling
- He is growing in his relationship with God and I see the little positive changes
- He keeps his room tidy in the main and puts his clothes in the wash bin
- He will happily do a job if I ask him to and it generally does not involve back chat
- If he has overstepped the mark and I have to dish out some discipline, he will take it in good faith and adhere to what I have said
- He tells a good joke (he also tells some pretty terrible ones)
- He is really willing to get involved and help out without any form of recompense, be it at church, at his Dads work or for a neighbour
- His teachers tell me he is really polite and well behaved at school (who'd have thought it?)
- He still loves all his cuddlies and and isn't afraid to say so
- He wears what he is comfy in and does not bow to any fashion trends
- He is just as happy in his own company as he is in a crowd
- He is pretty content, all in all
I count myself as a lucky mummy. JJ, I love you.
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