A Conversation with the Handyman

This morning we had a handyman come over to fix up a few things around the house.

Of course he had an audience of all the kids watching in awe as he stood on his huge step ladder to change some really high light bulbs.

After he was done with everything, he asked me the ages of the kids and said he has four kids of his own, ages 20-26.

I told him that most people tell me that this stage that I'm in right now (raising little ones) is the EASY stage and it just gets more challenging... and then asked him what was his opinion on that.

You know what he told me? He told me that it is what you make of it. If you smother your kids and try to control every move they make, yes, it is going to get more challenging. But if you let them be who they are and make their own mistakes, you will find that most of the time they will turn out okay.

Another thing he said was, "always be there for them, no matter what" because if you're not going to be there, they are going to find someone else to be there and not always will that someone be the right one for them. He also said that in his experience, don't TELL them how to act, SHOW them. Be a role model in every sense of the word. Your kids see how you handle every situation and if you handle it with class and tact, that is what they will learn. If you just get frustrated and angry, that is what they will learn too.

Have I met his kids? No. But that 10 minute conversation we had as he was headed out the door really resonated with me. It is nothing I havn't heard before, but just thought I would pass it on as it is just so true.

No one comes into your life by chance. Not even the handyman:)

Have an absolutely awesome week~

Always,