Jiminy Cricket

Sometimes I feel as though the children who are less, cough, dramatic, don't get as much blog attention. In fact, I know they don't get as much blog attention, and I work in the parenting sphere to make sure these non-dramatic children get their equal share of parental attention. This can be tricky because it is the louder children who are more often at the forefront of a parent's mind. And ears.

So let me sing the praises of D. today. This child is a natural peace maker. He truly cares for people and wants what's best for them. Now, this isn't a conflict avoidance, thing. He is plenty ready to stand up for his rights (or other's rights) if necessary, but he is just as willing, and quick, to forgive.

God truly knew what he was doing when he made D. and TM brothers. They enjoy each other's company (except when they don't... typical brothers), and compliment each other well. I am hard pressed to say whether D.'s precocious compassion came before TM or if it was born out of being TM's brother. In some ways, God has provided TM with his own personal Jiminy Cricket in the form of his brother while he develops his own internal self-control.

Now before I get concerned emails about ruining D.'s life or sacrificing his well-being in favor of his brother's or this is why people shouldn't virtually twin children (I'm sure I could come up with many more 'concerns' if I thought about it), please stop typing. J. and I are well aware of the potential pitfalls in this relationship, and we work diligently to be sure that we try to avoid most of them. Heck, we try to avoid all the bad parenting, with more or less success. Don't we all.

Really, I just want to say what a neat child my son is. His care, compassion, and concern for others often leaves J. and I in awe. He says that he wants to be either a missionary or a minister or both. It will be interesting to watch him mature.