Oh how I wish I was one of those kind, thoughtful mothers at bedtime. . . . .the kind that sits on her daughter’s bed with her and talks. . .and brushes her hair. Songs, stories, cuddles. . . . .
Once in a rare while I can do it, but most of the time I’m not the best parent at bedtime.
It’s all I can do to get them in bed without losing it. I have absolutely no patience for bedtime shenanigans and when you have a 5 year old boy and a 3 year old boy it happens almost every night.
My husband is the one who tucks them in with a story, thankfully. But he was away on a business trip last night. I miss him when he’s gone but I have to admit I miss him the most at bedtime!
Last night I got the little ones in bed and I had Jacob and Ethan do their kitchen and living room clean up. They requested that I stay in my room for half an hour (!!!) and when I went back out I had a surprise waiting for me.
Hot tea (“What kind is it, boys?” “It’s Vanilla Nut Cream! We looked and that box was almost empty so we figured it was your favorite!”)
Popcorn in a fiesta bowl
And a note
They also had the couch made up with a blanket and one of my taped gymnastics competitions playing on TV! (I love women’s gymnastics and used to record it to watch over and over, I rarely watch it anymore but they found the 1996 Olympics and had that playing). . . . .
I laughed and tried not to cry (crying is not the reaction boys want!). I got my camera out to take a picture.
They went to bed after turning off all the lights and I was left alone in the dark with my snack, and feeling very very loved.
Good to be Home 
You are doing a good job with those boys! I also think they have an awesome Daddy and a good example to follow. That is very sweet!
Wow Shan! I’m impressed. Good job boys!
What angels!!!!!! This made me teary eyed!! 🙂 YOU obviously are one of those kind, thoughtful mothers…….and that’s obviously where they learned it from!!! 🙂
Doesn’t get much better than that, eh?
I cried even if you didn’t. Some lucky girls are going to get good husbands someday.
They’re not even my sons, yet this brings tears to my eyes! You ARE loved, and I do believe the kindness and thoughtfulness of your children is simply a reflection of what they’ve seen modeled in their mother. I agree with lazonya75 – thanks to you (and Rich), your sons’ future wives will be very fortunate!
You have two very sweet and thoughtful young men there. That will be a memory you remember for a long time. God bless
Kelly
very sweet…
awwwwwwwwwwwww children are so precious aren’t they? i was never good at the bedtime thing either so don’t feel bad. after being with my kids all day, i always let their father have that time as his special time with them and it worked out great. they have the best memories of the stories he would tell them, prayer time, etc. i was totally spent at that point everyday and only once in a while i would rise to the occasion. what wonderful sensitive sons you have and yes, they will make amazing husbands one day! 😉
Very precious! That is a wonderful compliment from your sons to you.
That is how I felt last evening when I came in and saw the kitchen was all cleaned up. My children are all terribly offended if they are not tucked in and prayed with every night. We have our ritual but I keep it moving because by then it’s time for the silence! Lazonya75 is right, the will make excellent husbands.
Kids… just when you’re ready to throw ’em out the third story window, they go and do something like this!
that is so adorable. You are raising your sons to be fabulous men and someday great loving husbands!
My husband does bedtime too…I like you, am not the best at bedtime.
Have a great day Shanda!
Wow, that made even me teary. those kinds of things are what gives you reassurance that you’re keeping their hearts and loving them well.
Okay, I am making up for the tears you didn’t shed last night. That is so darn sweet! You are definitely doing something right (many things I dare say).
Note to self: teach kids to make tea and popcorn.
So Sweet! I too would love to be one of those mother’s that has energy and the patience for sweet bedtime moments. I thank God for a husband who sees my limitations and takes charge at that time and gets everyone tucked in with a story, prayer, hugs and kisses… and at times some real tussle time just before heading them off to bed. (has to be a guy thing as I’ve never been able to figure that one out) Blessings to you today.
That is SOOOOO sweet. Oh, I hope my kids turn out like that…although this morning I’m doubtful…they’re both being really loud (screaming loud and running in circles), and it is just TOO early. I better have my coffee, quickly!!!
I am so glad to hear that you get frustrated in the bedtime routines, too. My husband ALWAYS does the bedtime routine of pajamas, teeth, etc with my little ones. I go crazy when he isn’t here at badtime (ha, ha, I typed badtime instead of bedtime… does that tell you something)You (and your husband) are obviously doing something right if they are so willing to treat you like a queen. i hope you enjoyed your relaxing evening and that your husband gets home soon to help out with bedtime again!!
Raising Godly, thoughtfull sons — that’s what you’re doing! How sweet!
How wonderful! What kind little gentlemen you have there!
That is SO SWEET! I know how you feel at bedtime. I have little tolerance for anything other than them immediately lying down, closing eyes, and going to sleep, which, of course, never happens! LOL
Wow, that is awesome. So thoughtful. A memory you will treausre I’m sure.
OH my goodness! I can so relate to what you wrote about wishing you were one of those kind thoughtful mothers at bed time who took the time to read stories, talk and comb hair. I can also relate about how hard it is to get them to bed….the little shenanigans and the struggle not to lose it as a result! I was nodding my head thinking, uh-huh, that’s exactly how I feel! And then, when you wrote about the very special way your sons took care of you it brought tears to my eyes and I though how they “rise up and call you blessed.” You are a blessed woman and like me, you are surprised by their act of thoughtfulness and kindness. I’m not the one that blesses my children at bed time but often they will surprise me with an act of thoughtfulness or act of service that brings tears to my eyes. My kids will gather around me and massage my feet, back, neck and scalp, knowing that I can’t resist this kind of loving act from them and knowing it blesses me more than words can say and it amazes me that they will do it when I feel like I am so tough on them!
Once again, I have to say that we are kindred spirits, Shanda and it was nice to read that another mom feels the same way I do!
Blessings and hugs to you,
Jana
aaawwww..made me tear up too….what sweet boys!
Good Morning Shanda….. You have sweet boys there. They are the reflection of their parents….good and loving parents. I like the note they left you. So thoughtful.
My girls too I have a hard time to get them to settle down and sleep. From their room I hear giggling and laughing all the time. My boys too when they were little were always up to something at bedtime. I’d hear banging in their room and laughing. It was usually Leonard (now 20) being the clown and making the other boys laugh. By bedtime too my patience was usually running out. Because I always had a tiny baby to look after too……sigh.
God Bless You Shanda….
Extremely thoughtful boys!!! I bet you did feel loved. I hope you enjoyed your tea, popcorn, and hopefully you were able to get a good night sleep.
I too am always exhausted by the little ones bed time. My hubby does our bed time routine of devotions, singing, etc also. So, when he is deployed (like now) I make it well though dinner and then baths but after bath time I go down hill physically and emotionally very fast. It is nice to know it just isn’t me.
Your husband must really love you and show it in tangible ways —and your boys are copying him!
That is precious. I’m sure you’ll save that note forever. =)
oh my goodness–that is so sweet!! And i’m glad to hear that you aren’t one of those great bedtime mothers, either!
Brought tears to my eyes! Must have been hard for you to hold back yours. HOW SPECIAL.
how precious and i’m exactly the same way at bedtime!!
Aw, how sweet Shanda. You and Rich really are raising up some thoughtful, loving boys, and I’m so glad they take the time to make Mom’s life a little sweeter.
I was so tired last night, that I got in bed with Jesse and begged the children (my granddaughter also spent the night) to PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE go to bed when their video was finished. And PLEEEEEEEZE not giggle and talk once they got into bed. With Luci’s b-day party, everyone was quite wound up. Eating sugary b-day cake at 8:30pm isn’t the smartest thing for young children. But we did it.And they went to bed quietly.So much for being a good mother at bedtime!!! LOL
That is soooo adorable! I cant wait until JJ is doing things like that for me :). Love, Melissa
Awwwww…What loving boys! Really sweet… they thought of everything. You all are a blessing. I agree, they have learned so much from you and Rich and are returning that love.
We used to both work on tucking our boys in when little, though my husband did the bedtime stories. We also prayed over them and have seen the fruit in their prayer lives. Once they get older (teens) my husband started to go to bed before them…so they would “tuck” him in by coming into our room for prayers. You were made a morning person Shanda, so revel in it. The kids are obviously responding to all the love and good care they get all day. My mom was a morning person too and made different breakfasts every day…but at night she would say , “you look tired, go to bed!” That was usually when she was tired. I saw all she did for us all day, and didn’t think a thing of it. I am not a morning person and used to feel quilty that I wasn’t quite functioning in the morning and during the week the kids usually got cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. Pancakes and eggs happened on weekends because Daddy is a morning person. I eventually learned that was OK. They love us and respond to all the love you give. All that to say…..You are doing a fabulous job…so don’t be hard on yourself.
Lord bless you! Jenny
I am that way at bed time, too. I know it is a lot of my own selfishness because I think I’ve been with these kids all day long. I NEED my break and I NEED it now. Of course, they are also disobeying when they try to get away with things at bed time, so their disobedience also tends to make me lose it a little. Anyway… nice to know I’m not the only one.What sweet boys those two guys are. They are certainly going to make fine husbands one day.
@Happy_Feet_99 – LOLOL!!!
The reason those boys are so thoughtful is clearly they have thoughtful parents. What an amazing testimony. They are going to make awesome hubbys someday!
Precious. Don’t you just love those hand written notes from sons? they will be good husbands one day ~ they’ve obviously had a good role model (s) to follow in serving and helping. ~ praise the Lord for working in the lives of this next generation… there are a few strong good men being raised to follow Christ in a day and in a generation where I think it will indeed be few. Blessings to you! I am still not feeling myself, but better than I was ~ the children have really been a blessing and helped out w/ so much these weeks I’ve been down more and resting more. Have a good week!
they are sooo creative and thoughtful. ( going to make wonderful husbands some day!) You’re doing a great job and you can also tell their daddy is teaching them well!
That was so sweet of them. 🙂
How thoughtful and sweet — I have tears in my eyes after reading this post! The boys are a wonderful reflector of the love they have received!
How very sweet and thoughtful! You have wonderful children, Shanda. They are a reflection of the love and joy you put into mothering them! This was a nice boost to stop by and see this. I’ve had a rough day- a rough time mothering today. I won’t give up though (even though I feel like it right now). You have encouraged me dear friend!
they are too sweet. Way to go mom! I can feel your pain at bedtime. I feel as though I may loose it then too!
What precious moments to treasure!
I know that you already know how blessed you are, but that is such a special story. Your young men are going to be excellent husbands. Do you think they learned this behavior from their daddy, was taught by you, simply the grace of God and lots of prayer or a combination of all things? I have been thinking about my boys lately and desiring more for them than just the routine ambitions of this worldly life. I feel like I can be critical and grumpy. I fear that my children will look back on their childhood and always remember us being in a hurry and rushing them, never truly allowing them to enjoy life. I pray that God continues to convict my heart of these things and that by HIS power I can be changed. Thanks for sharing such a sweet thoughtful story about your guys!
Precious, just so precious are the thoughtful deeds of young hands.
That brought tears to my eyes. What wonderful, thoughtful and caring boys you have. You are doing a wonderful job of raising your children, that is very clear! I hope you were able to relax and enjoy your treat. Kiss those boys and squeeze them extra tight. . . . you must be so proud of them.
how sweet! i am so jealous!!
Oh how incredibly adorable! What wonderful men those two are going to become. WOW My grown up son is trying to see to it that I get my rest while Ed is gone. Doing dishes and helping with the cooking. It is really nice when they grow up that way. Gooooooood start! hugs and blessings and love in sc.
Shan… you are definately doing something right for your children to be so thoughtful and so giving and considerate of your feelings. They love you so much and that truly shows. I know it touched your heart. Oh what a special moment. Truly a blessing.