I think I mentioned that last Sunday Ryan stayed home with our cold-ridden baby while Trenton and I went to church. Every Sunday I teach Christ-centered songs to the kids, ages 3 to 12. I love doing it, but it’s basically feels like a 45-minute performance every week. When I came home, Ryan had straightened the entire house and even had spaghetti on the stove.
But I remember that only moments after walking in the door, Ryan prompted Trenton to put something away and scooped up my heels to go in the closet. I felt just a tinge of “Hey! We just got home. No nagging already!” And it dawned on me that he must feel that way all the time after getting home from work.
How many times has he walked into our home, which I plot and scheme to make feel like a haven, only to hear me say, “Will you put your bag in the closet?” or, “Keys and wallets don’t go on the piano!” Even if I do sing it out in what feels like a nonthreatening voice, it cannot be fun to hear that first thing after a long day at work.
That brief role reversal did me some good, and I’ve tried to appreciate my companion and father of my children a little bit more this week…
Maybe you can do the same!
And stay tuned Monday for the first in my series of four posts about random things I do to make life simpler!
It is so easy for me to forget that he has been working all day too! A lot of times he comes home and I am so stressed from dealing with whiny, demanding kids all day that I expect him to just pick up and take over and let me rest- forgetting that he has likely had a day similar to mine, only with co-workers instead of adorable children! Thanks for the reminder! :0) I am sure I need it more often than I realize!
I like that way of looking at it – annoying co-workers vs. adorable children!
Love your blog! As a mom of two boys (4 and 2), I've felt that all I want is a blog acknowledging the difficulty and joy in parenting/clothes/etc.
Off to bookmark you!!!
This is so true. It seems when I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts/concerns/needs I forget that he has them, too. Even though he's a guy, he has feelings and needs validated. It's always hard to find a balance between your needs, your kids' needs and of course your husband's needs and everything else you have to do! But I have noticed, like you said, that when I keep his point of view in mind, things go a lot better, we have better communication and we understand each other better. Now I just need to wrap more strings around my finger to remind me of this when I get caught up in everything. Thanks. 🙂
Great point! I've been trying to be more aware of his point of view more since I read it a few days ago. Definitely makes a difference!
Role reversals are awesome. Cling to those insights; they're hard to come by sometimes!
I didn't know you are the primary chorister. Me too! I LOVE a clean car and it stays almost perfectly clean most of the time. Maybe that's why the house is not so clean at all! 😛