My concerned children

The very minute I say bedtime my vibrant, healthy, happy children are suddenly near death. It seems as though illness sweeps upon them and every single scrap and bump becomes cancerous. Headaches, stomachaches, sore throats, sore toes...you name it...we have it. I have a 4 cabinet filing cabinet (thankfully full) of every know medicine to save my children from impending death as bedtime arises.

They suddenly have memory loss as well. In addition to severe illness, famine settles in too. My well fed children cannot remember if we had dinner? Then quickly forget if we even had lunch. You would think they live in the Sahara desert as thirst beats at them.

And we can't forget how they all take a sudden "my brother/sister's keeper" attitude. They are so very concerned about each other! They worry over sleep habits and bathroom habits and drinking habits and even who has enough blankets. Certainly they worry if someone is playing a game or has on a movie, I feel such great pride that they worry about the well-being of each other. Even if I never see it all day long, I am so grateful to have them leave their warm beds to tell me of every single happening in the house. It warms the soul.....

I would like to think my children are just special this way...but I doubt it. I seem to have a fairly nice focus group that is not unlike many other families.

I do wish that the "get ready and head to bed" phrase encouraged PERSONAL OWNERSHIP rather than a watchdog mentality. I hope with time and repetition they will get it. Although with much more time and repetition they will be grown. At that point they can move into a dorm, an apartment or in with a spouse and begin to use all those years and years of experience in care giving:) What a very nice thought!