Role models

I am so thankful for the role models in our lives.

Since I started fostering the kids a year and a half ago, I've realized just how important role models can be... and how much of an influence some people are on young minds. Therefore, how important it is for me as a parent, to expose the kids to the right ones.

For an example... One of the twins was SO afraid of doctors. For no reason other than he was very shy and Auntie wasn't always able to hold him as the Dr. checked, poked and prodded or shone lights in his ears.

Until about a month ago.

After we received them back from Child Services, we were required to have a check-up done for each child. I called my family Dr. and booked the appointments. They generally will only book two childrens checkups in a week but made an exception for me given the circumstances and booked 3 of my children in one appointment and 2 for another day. So... when booking them, I just logically booked oldest to youngest so that resulted in splittng the twins in seperate appointments.

When came time for our appointment, I took the 3 boys in to be weighed and measured on our way to the cubicle where the Dr. would examine them. Ryan and Cieran had no issues showing the nurse just how big they've grown bombarding her with stories about their shoes, school, family, and anything else they could fit in the 30 seconds she took to look after them. Anthony was terrified. I held him until it was his turn to step onto the scale. He was bawling by this time and I was trying to calm him while getting him to stay on the scale long enough for her to weigh and measure him. Quickly scooping him up, we headed off to wait for the doctor. Having his 2 older brothers there didn't even help calm his fears. I put all 3 of them up on the paper covered table and answered a million questions about what the doctor would do, what his name was, what was this, what was that, what did this do and what was that for.

Shortly, Dr. Healley entered and greeted the boys in his South African accent. Anthony's eyes never left Dr. Healley's face. He was terrified. As I explained to Dr. what we were there for, he pulled their files and sat down. Cieran was sitting the closest and then Ryan and finally, Anthony. Thinking that I would get him to do Anthony first so he was over and done, Dr. Healley had another idea. He pulled Cieran's file as he was sitting the closest. He got the other boys to scoot down while he checked Cieran and asked him all kinds of questions. Anthony's eyes never left Dr. Healley. He was stressed.

When Dr. was done examining Cieran, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sucker... just like the sucker that the kids get from Pastor King! Anthony's eyes grew bigger but he didn't relax. That is, until Dr. Healley did the same thing after examining Ryan! By the time it was his turn, Anthony was ready and eager to lay on the table so Dr. Healley could push on his belly, shine a light in his ears, check down his throat, push and pull on his legs and look into his eyes. He left that office with a new appreciation for Dr.s and I left with a thankful heart for having such a compassionate and understanding physician.

So, to get to the point of my post. I've listened to the kids play for the past few months and they amaze me repeatedly. We have an open door policy and I eavesdrop on their games on a regular basis. The other day, they were playing and arguing over who was going to be 'Dr. Healley'. I listened as they asked each other their names and if they went to school. What grade they were in and what they needed to see the Dr. about today. I smiled as I realized just how much they pay attention and how much the simple things affect them.

I've listened as they take turns being 'Pastor King' and watch Anthony pace back and forth with their plastic microphone and deep down in his throat he 'preaches' but all he keeps saying is "Pastor King! Pastor King!" (Quite a sermon as you can imagine... lol) After all, Pastor King is their favorite person at the moment. They have to know where he is at all times during every service! Then, they point it out to me and anyone else who'll listen... lol

But yesterday... their play brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful to hear them playing together. They were playing 'battle' which I always, ALWAYS keep an ear to just to make sure one of them is not 'injured' on the front lines. I actually prefer them not to play that game as they've been exposed to too many violent video games and I always associate that that's where it's coming from.

But... as I listened to them play and pick teams and trade teammates and regroup their battlefield, I heard a precious little voice say to his brother... "Ok Jesus... you be on my team. We'll fight together!"

One of my precious babies who has only been exposed to this truth for such a short time was playing 'Jesus' and they knew that when you have Jesus... you 'fight together'!

So... thank you to so many good role models that I've grown up with and ones that now influence my children... Thank you to Dr. Healley for being so compassionate and thoughtful... Thank you Pastor King for being a hero to so many souls... and thank you Jesus... for fighting on my team!!!