All About Me

One thing my husband and I try to stress to our kids is that life is not all about them.   We love them dearly, and pour much of our time, love, energy and attention out onto them.   But, because we love them, we also try to teach them that life does not revolve around them.

We are a family of 5  soon to be 6.  So, in a lot of ways this is a lesson that is taught early on out of practicality.  We just can’t meet everyone’s needs all the time right when they think they should be met.  Sometimes you have to wait.  And sometimes you have to go to places and events that you may not want to go to.  But, if you cry and throw a tantrum about either, you will calmly be told, “I am sorry you are disappointed and don’t like this, but life is not all about you.” 

With this in mind, I thought it was so funny the other day when my almost four year old said to me quite out of the blue, “Mom, ya know, I wish life was all about me.”   I wanted to chuckle, b/c like I said it was totally out of the blue… it wasn’t like a few minutes prior we had discussed this.  In fact, I think she was sitting on the potty, truth be told. 

I love her honesty.   Truthfully, don’t we all wish the same thing?  I know even in my roles as wife and mom, selfishness creeps in poisons my attitude and outlook.   I often need to remind myself that life is not about me.

All that being said, she is quite excited about her birthday in a few weeks.  Because birthdays at the circus are a big deal and they are a day when things get to be all about you.  (Within reason of course as my son quickly pointed out the other day, even on your birthday it’s really all about God, not you).