Parenting in the Present

[naomi...@eastlink.ca]

Right now I am sitting on my sofa it is snowing outside, my daughter is sleeping and my son is watching The Adventures of Peter Rabbit. (Thanks for this Amy :) ) We are all doing what we want and this is how I know:

My husband was planning to go to town and take my son with him. I wanted to have some quiet time to write and sit without interuption. I made this intention clear to my husband so when my son said he wanted to watch a show my husband said "Mom wants to have quiet time and this is very important to her, and she is very important to us so lets go." Not bad parenting and normally I would think that is great but the tightness in my throat told me I needed to speak.
I called them into the room and asked Noah what he would like to do. He started to cry and said "I'll miss you Mom." I told him that I still wanted quiet time but I would be happy to write while he watched his show. He still seemed distressed and my husband told me he use to feel this way when he was younger because he didn't want to disappoint either one of his parents.My son was trying to please his dad and this doesn't fly with me anymore because that was my pattern- make everybody happy and this will create my happiness. The words " IT STOPS HERE" rang in my ears and presented in my body.
I asked Noah what his body wanted to do and he said "stay home". I went on to tell him that Mom and Dad were doing what made them happy and he could do what what made him happy. Noah's face lit up and he is now cozied under a blanket on his Tigger couch and I am happily writing knowing that we have all done what makes us happy and no one had to sacrifice anything! The Peace in my Body is Amazing and Life is getting better by the day!
There is so much simplicity to life but it was not until I became present to mySelf moment to moment that I saw it!

If you want to change your life, you must first change the way you perceive your life.
-Trick of light