Cloak

By Jenna

“If you could choose to possess any super-power, what would it be?”

A friend of mine answered this question almost immediately. “Invisibility,” she said. I was surprised at her answer, although I know she’s a big Harry Potter fan, I also know she is completely sure of herself and her convictions; I didn’t know why she would want to hide behind any of them? She went on to say that she wished she could be a fly on the wall and listen to what other people talk about.

Hmm.. Have you ever lived your life as if a tv crew was watching you? (And therefore all of the world was watching with them?)  They say “kids say the darndest things”, but parents sometimes say the most regrettable [darnedest!] things to their kids. In an instant, my life is transformed by my anger, my selfishness, my desire to be Right. And not in a good way. But would I really have said some things if I knew someone was watching me, if someone with an invisibility cloak saw my every facial expression and heard my tone of voice?

Maybe you don’t say things like that to your kids.

It’s fun to peek in on my kids every once in awhile, to see how they play together. [sometimes very well, sometimes not-so-very-well…] I love to listen to their conversations when they think I can’t hear. What would they see if they saw me with my friends? Would they be pleased with what I say or how I say it? I believe communication with our kids is a two-way street, and it’s never too late to admit we make mistakes. Kids are forgiving when we’re willing to confess that what we did was wrong. It provides a great model for forgiveness. Not a perfect one, because none of us is perfect. I would bet my invisibility cloak on that one.

What does integrity mean to you? How does it shape your parenting and your relationships with other Moms?

jenna blogs at [kevin and jenna [dot] com].