In need of another “Lessons From the Toddler” story? Here it comes!
The other day we were in the McDonald’s drive-thru, & I say “Hello, I’d like 3 small fries and one McChicken, please”.
Fries for the girls, the little man wanted a McChicken.
We talked about this 2 blocks before the drive-thru and all agreed. This was a make-shift “snack run” because I forgot to bring our snacks, and we poorly planned our trip right after a 2 hour appointment and everyone was feeling snacky, but it wasn’t quite lunch time yet. I was also using this as bribery for good behavior for our upcoming Target run.
I know I could’ve ordered parfaits, apples, or something else. But we wanted fries, okay? Okay.
Order’s in, my guilt of ordering (and serving the kids) fries passes.
Just then, my little 3 year old yells out: “NO, YOU DON’T!”
I ignore her and pull ahead anyway. She quiets down.
At the window she rolls down her window with her shoe (tricky little girl), smiles, and then hollers “CAN YOU CHANGE MY MOMMY’S ORDER TO A SALAD, PLEASE?”
Feeling guilty, but also justified because:
A) I’m an adult and can eat what I want
B) Since college I hardly ever eat a McDonald’s fries.
After we pull away I ask “Sweetie, why did you say that?”
She says “Because you LOVE salads, mommy. I wanted you to have one”.
There you have it folks, things aren’t always as they seem, are they?
This little girl was being thoughtful, not thoughtless. She was thinking of what her momma loves, and trying to make that happen.
It was MY OWN GUILT that made me feel like she was attacking me (for lack of a better term) for ordering fries when my diet clearly should’ve had me ordering apples and a water!
I think we women do that quite often. We don’t always confront it to find out if the intentions are innocent, sometimes we just sit silent, feeling judged and all yucky inside.
I challenge you to stop sitting silent, feeling judged. First examine your own heart and see if you’re causing your own problems (I know that’s harsh, but you and I both know we do this). If you really think you are being unfairly judged, seek out the person or situation that is making you feel judged and work it out or discover the truth.
We were not made to be silent.
Above all know that you and I aren’t to be doing the judging.
For me, this was a lesson in examining my own heart, and another opportunity to write a little something in our Quotable Kid Journal.
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