The (Kids') Secret to World Peace

Elliott and Caiden love each other to death, but they sure do have their occasional moments where nothing seems to go smoothly between them.  When they're on the same team they're like a well oiled machine, but when they're not--good grief--watch out!  All day long, most days this week, I've had to intervene and try to bring peace to chaotic situations between them.  I was about ready to lose my mind!

And then, out of the blue one morning this week, I woke up and the kids were already playing.  It felt like a scene from a Disney movie where a princess walks into the middle of a beautiful meadow, the sun is shiny and casting a warm glow, the birds are chirping, and everything is peaceful and wonderful.  There they were: playing together so sweetly, looking out for each other, working together, thinking of each other--it was incredible.  As hard as I had worked all week to get them to do this, to love each other, nothing seemed to work.  This was like a miracle.  Then, as I was watching them, some little kerscuffle came up between them and I heard Caiden warn Elliott, "Be kind.  Remember, be kind."  It seemed to trigger something between them and suddenly they worked out peacefully what yesterday would have turned into a very loud nightmare.

Later that day, David told me how cute and sweet they had been earlier that morning before I was awake.  He had overhead them in their room saying things like, "Isn't it so nice that we're getting along?"  And so the day continued on its pleasant course.

I cached all these things in my brain, you see, and today when things started getting a little crazy, I tried out their new secret password I had so stealthily overheard yesterday and said, "Hey guys, remember?  Be kind... Be kind."  And it worked!  I'm trying not to use it too much and overdo it, though.  I want the magic to last as long as possible!

But really, I treasure these moments.  I don't know why it happens, but my heart just about overflows with love and gratitude when I see my children love and appreciate each other.  Maybe its because they're happy. I don't know.  But I sure do like it.

(All those days in boys scouts weren't lost on David, by the way.  He can still build a mean blanket fort and tie lots of kinds of knots.  He built this one for the kids this morning, stopping to do it even though he was already behind schedule for the day.)