I am thankful that my children
grew up to be good adults.
Wally and Theo were not easy children to raise. They were very active and always challenging the boundaries of their world both physically and mentally. The school had us on speed dial. The call would always start with something that they did that interrupted the flow of the classroom and end with that they were nice kids, trying soften the blow, I guess. Some teachers loved them because of the interesting way they approached problems and intellectual depth they brought to discussions and others didn't because of the way they approached problems and the intellectual depth they brought to discussions (too distracting for the teacher and other kids). None liked the extra activity they brought to the environment.
At home, they were very busy and it was nearly impossible to childproof the house. They were very stubborn about things they didn't want to do. They slept little and had a whole night life that we found evidence of the next morning. That worried us a lot, but we had to sleep sometime. Every time I got into a discussion with them, they led me down a path with careful questioning that I never saw coming.Every child tries their parents. A lot. But others told us they couldn't believe the challenges these boys brought. So I surmised that our kids were more challenging than most.
Ward and I were exhausted for many years while trying to parent these boys. But eventually they grew up. Now both of them are kind, responsible, hardworking, calm adults. Something I wouldn't have believed possible during of their childhood years.
So for my children who matured into good adults, I am thankful.
