Marbles/Children

Many times as I am trying to get dinner ready I put Michael in his high chair and give him some measuring cups and several marbles (pebbles pictured above.)  This has been a great way to keep him quiet and allows me to make dinner.  The other day I did this while Annelise was visiting us.  She noticed that he was putting the marbles in his mouth so I gave him the pacifier so that he would stop.  

Finally he was ready to get down so I gathered the marbles and noticed several missing but assumed they had fallen on the floor and did not give it another thought until the next day when after a restless night I changed his diaper and found 7 marbles in his diaper,  I did not even dig through it they were just laying there on top.  The next diaper produced 8 more again, without even looking hard so there may have been more.  Elizabeth said, "Well aren't you going to wash them off so we can use them again?"  I told her if she wanted to go through it and get them out she was more than welcome.  She agreed that it was okay if we didn't recycle these marbles.

Annelise later told me that she had seen Michael push his pacifier to the side and put the marbles in his mouth.  I am just glad he is okay and needless to say he does not get to play with marbles anymore.

 

Precious Children—A Gift from God

Thomas S. Monson, October 1991 General Conference

"There is no more important aspect of public education than the teacher who has the opportunity to love, to teach, and to inspire eager boys and girls and young men and young women. President David O. McKay said, “Teaching is the noblest profession in the world. Upon the proper education of youth depend the permanency and purity of home, the safety and perpetuity of the nation. The parent gives the child an opportunity to live; the teacher enables the child to live well.” (David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953, p. 436.) I trust we shall recognize their importance and their vital mission by providing adequate facilities, the finest of books, and salaries which show our gratitude and our trust.

Each of us remembers with affection the teachers of our youth. I think it amusing that my elementary school music teacher was a Miss Sharp. She had the capacity to infuse within her pupils a love for music and taught us to identify musical instruments and their sounds. I well recall the influence of a Miss Ruth Crow who taught the subject of health. Though these were depression times, she ensured that each sixth-grade student had a dental health chart. She personally checked each pupil for dental health and made certain that through public or private resources, no child went without proper dental care. As Miss Burkhaus, who taught geography, rolled down the maps of the world and, with her pointer, marked the capital cities of nations and the distinctive features of each country, language, and culture, little did I anticipate or dream that one day I would visit these lands and peoples.

Oh, the importance in the lives of our children of teachers who lift their spirits, sharpen their intellects, and motivate their very lives!"

Teacher's are important!! I am so grateful for the teachers my children have. Who put so much time into lessons, activities, and individual attention to each of my children. I am grateful for my sister and sister-in-law who work so hard to teach the student's they have and guide them to excel .

"My dear brothers and sisters, may the laughter of children gladden our hearts. May the faith of children soothe our souls. May the love of children prompt our deeds. “Children are an heritage of the Lord.” ( Ps. 127:3.) May our Heavenly Father ever bless these sweet souls, these special friends of the Master, is my humble and earnest prayer."

When I read things like this I want to take all my kids in my arms and hug, and play, and be silly . . . then they come in from school, homework, chores, dinner all these things seem to get in the way. Then if I try to have fun with one they all come to play and things get out of hand, people get hurt, and it ends up being a disaster. Then there is the noise, all the yelling, and screaming, the running around the house. I feel like I am in a zoo. How do I find balance? How do I have control? (I am a control freak) How do I play and enjoy the range of children from 12 to 1? I feel that no matter what I do someone is complaining, or having a bad attitude so it is just easier to get done what we need to and them let them play on their own, but I don't feel that this is what the Lord want's me to do and I don't know how to change it.