The last couple of days, all I can think about is how far my girls have come. They have been with me seven months now. It has been a learning experience by all. Tonight, when I picked them up from daycare, they were so happy. We were jammin' to some Toby Mac in the car. I was showing them some of my car dancing moves. They were laughing and saying how silly I was, but then they joined in. It was one of those moments that will be seared in my memory. As we were eating dinner, more smiles and laughter. My oldest kept saying how happy she was over and over. I loved it. :)
Then out of no where, there was a shift. We went from laughter to tears. It was week one issues all over again. I was floored. I couldn't figure out what in the world was going on. Why the sudden regression? Why am I having to deal with an issue that has been all but gone for five months?
As I was putting them down for bed, I remembered an article I read about a month ago. It talked about how children will sometimes seemingly go backwards without any reason. Whether they have been with you six months or six years, old hurt issues can and will come back up from time to time. It is our job as parents to have compassion and help them through the rough patch. I needed that reminder. Whatever may have been going on in her little mind that triggered the events of the evening, was a lot harder on her than it was on me. What she needed from me was hugs and reminders of how much I love her.
In so many ways, we aren't so different from children. We all have hurts and wounds that are being healed. At times, we can go months without thinking about the injury. Then something happens and we are reliving it all over again. We are then dealing with emotional issues and flashbacks. However, you respond to the situation, you need time to do some healing and get yourself situated again. Next thing you know, you are okay for a while. If we do that as adults, why would I expect a child to be instantly healed and not deal with previous issues any more? I'm not God. I can't heal immediately. Only He can do that. And more often than not, He chooses to heal over time with a process. I need to allow my girls to heal at their own pace in their own way. I must not freak out or question my abilities as a mom when we deal with repeat problems. Must repeat to myself that it is okay and just part of the process.
