I love to hear our sons laugh (Of course! Which mother doesn’t? DUH!). They may be identical in their looks and mannerisms but each one’s laugh is unique. When one of them finds something funny and shares it with his brothers, the laughs that erupt are more like giggles than throaty guffaws.
Oh yeah, I love their giggling. But I don’t always enjoy it. Yes, you read it correctly – I don’t always enjoy their giggles. Explanation follows.
Scenario 1: Our sons love to giggle when we tell them to close their eyes and it’s time to go to sleep. They peek at each other from under the blankets and erupt into… yup, you guessed it right… giggles! After spending the past hour trying to get them into bed, I know I have to keep a straight face and with a firm voice repeat that they have to close their eyes. But more often than not, my husband and I end up giggling along with them – for no apparent reason!
Scenario 2: The triplets are a mischievous bunch. When one of them discovers something forbidden, he unselfishly lets his brothers commit the crime along with him. What results is a stern warning from me and a reminder of the consequences. Needless to say, the second my back is turned, they jump right back – doing the very same thing and with cheeky laughs to match! Oh, how I just want to laugh with them and enjoy the moment – for I know they are but little boys. Instead, I stifle my giggles and with a firm tone send them to their room, for they need to be taught that disobedience has its consequences. Sometimes, doing the right thing can be such a mood dampener. Sigh!
Scenario 3: Our boys giggle during prayers… Ummm… Didn’t they get the memo? You know, the one that says little boys have to keep their heads bowed, hands folded, eyes closed and maintain silence at prayer time… LOL! Well, the 3J brothers are fond of peering at each other under half-closed eyelids and giggling… loudly! It’s almost embarrassing at prayer meetings where we get quite a few stares when the “triple giggle” distracts quite a few people trying to sincerely commune with God. Well, they are but little boys… nevertheless, the responsibility of teaching them to respect the time we spend speaking to God falls on us, the parents. During bedtime prayers, they get to jump, dance and sing a few songs but we’re teaching them to honor God when it’s time to pray!
We’re learning that there are times when we can just laugh with our sons and enjoy the moment… And then there are those times when we have to stifle our giggles and correct them and teach them right from wrong.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
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have lots to learn from u!