A Rare Parental Reward

Despite what sitcoms such as Full House might indicate, parenting is exhausting and relentless. If you're a self-centered crab like me, it's easy to miss the rewarding moments in the day-to-day chaos. However, this weekend managed to provide one sweet moment.

Anne was shopping and I was running on the treadmill, an activity that I try to do at least quarterly. During my run, the girls were playing in their normal fashion, which (as far as I can tell) consists of shouting at the top of their lungs and running in circles. Afterwards, I needed to take a shower and I could see that the girls were starting to settle a bit. I turned on Spongebob in our bedroom so that the girls could lay on the bed and watch while I took a shower. When I came out, they were laying together, like this:


I'm not normally sentimental, but the sweetness of the moment did get to me. They are in first grade and kindergarten, and they have to deal with the "every man for himself" nature of elementary school. It's nice to know that they have each other, and that home will always be a safe place for them.