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Just Awhile Longer
I love the time of day when the sun has just set and the last traces of light remain. The day is over – but not quite. The night has come – but not quite. It’s dusk. It lingers and stretches the day just a bit longer. It’s a little like what happens in my home nearly every night.
Lingering
I’ve always been strict about bedtimes. I firmly believe children need their sleep and parents need some space at the end of the day. The ritual in our house is straightforward: We read a children’s book, tuck three little bodies into bed, kiss them and turn out the light.
But as the kids grow older, something has happened. There is no longer day and night, play time and sleep time. There is now a period where they are in bed, yet not ready to sleep. They are tired, but don’t want the day to end. Not yet. What they want is me.
Sometimes they need to snuggle; occasionally, they want to giggle about something funny that happened. Sometimes they want me to ask questions – what was the best or worst part of the day, or what made them laugh. And ever so often, they need to vent, that a friend yelled at them or they couldn’t figure out their math problems. Often, what is on their minds is simply too much for them to carry themselves, and they just need someone to share their concerns.
A window of time
There is great honour in being someone a child can confide in – someone they want to talk to. The day may come when I’ll long to know what is going on inside their hearts, but they will close the door and seek other listening ears. By lingering with them, I think two things are happening. Firstly, we’re dealing in real time with current events, and they’re learning how to express themselves, seek advice and problem- solve. That is important.
But something else, even more important, happens. By choosing to linger now, they know that Mum cares about what they say. And if they know that she listens and makes their lives a priority, they know who they can turn to when the perplexing problems of adolescence arrive.
In all honesty, when bedtime comes, I am usually more than eager to turn out the light and have a little time to myself. But this season in my children’s lives will not last long. I can linger there in the last rays of sun, or I can pull the shades and hasten the night.
I prefer to linger just awhile longer.
Adapted from Just Awhile longer by Sarah Overturf. © 2009 Focus on the Family Singapore. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.
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