Fraternal Charity

I have to begin with a confession: this morning I got frustrated with the children's provocations, whines, and lack of compassion towards one another. I swooped through, sent one outside with his breakfast, one upstairs with hers, and left the third at the table to eat alone. I threatened suggested that the children might need to spend the day not talking to, looking at or touching each other apart from each other to gain some appreciation and perspective.

When she finished her breakfast, I sent Sunshine to carry some trash out. On her return trip, I watched through the window as she silently paused in front of her brother. She surreptitiously pointed at her self, then crossed her arms over her heart and finally pointed at dear big brother. She repeated the gesture, still thinking herself unnoticed by the recipient of her message and myself and then came inside. Firstborn did not notice his sister's little display of affection but rather sat forlorn at the table with his head down.

For my part, my heart was softened and my frustration tempered. All three children were missing each other terribly after just a few minutes and it was obvious my punishment could not withstand their loneliness for one another. I had a little talk with each of them and soon they were outside playing happily together.