They Walk The Line

What is it with children and walking the line? You know the line I’m talking about. The line between obedience and disobedience. My children have been exhibiting this characteristic lately, and sometimes I don’t know whether to smile and inwardly laugh at their little brains developing, or sit them down for a long, stern talk.

Elias:

This little one has been leaving his room after bed time in the recent evenings. He wants a drink of water. He needs to go to the bathroom. He wants me or Nathan to come keep him company. Any excuse will do. I spent a long time explaining to him what an “emergency” was. (I basically said it meant he was hurt or needed to use the bathroom). He knew that the only reason he should come out would be for an “emergency.”

So…I put him to bed. A few minutes later…out he comes. He used the bathroom. Back in his room he went. A few minutes later…out he comes. I stared at him from the bottom of the stairs and asked, “What are you doing?”

Pause…pause…pause…

“My toe hurts.”

Simon:

I constantly am on Simon about playing the piano safely. He is constantly using his toys to play the keys. One thing I say often while we are playing downstairs is, “Fingers only! We only play the keys with our fingers!”

This morning I was washing up the breakfast dishes, and came out to find this scene:

He totally knew he was walking that line, too. Well…he certainly wasn’t playing the keys….but still.