Word of Wisdom

Isaac has come up with some good questions lately. This morning he asked us why we don't drink coffee. I let Kyle answer since normally it is me the one who get to answer his fun questions like, how does the doctor get babies out of tummys?
Isaac: why don't we drink coffee?
Daddy: because we have the word of wisdom and it tells us that coffee is not good for our bodies.
Isaac: what does wisdom mean again?
Daddy: smart.
Isaac: So we won't be smart if we drink coffee?
Daddy: Well, it isn't good for our bodies.
Isaac: Caillou's daddy drinks coffee.
Daddy: Yes he does...
Me (from the other room): But he doesn't have the word of wisdom and he isn't real, he is a cartoon. And coffee makes your teeth yellow. I don't want yellow teeth.
Isaac: Ya, me neither.

We have such fun conversations with this little boy. He is so innocent, sweet, friendly, and smart! When we moved here he was dying for new friends. I let him ride his bike down the street a little bit to say hi to some boys playing. When he came back he said, "they told me I had a baby bike." When he could tell that I wasn't too happy and told him maybe we shouldn't play with kids that we don't know that well yet (seriously, this is the first thing out of a strange kids mouth, he hasn't even met Isaac yet!) Isaac said all positively "it's okay mom, it is opposite day, they were just being silly boys. We can still play with them. I can just be nice to them and then they will want to be nice to me."

Oh how I love this boy. For the first week we lived here he would announce he NEEDED to go play in the front yard because his new friends needed to see him so they would want to meet him. I'm not saying he is perfect with his friends, but he really is sweet. Kyle and I work really hard to not let bad things into our kids minds...yes shelter them a bit, but I think it is so important to be very very careful with what goes into their little minds. Big fan of "age appropriate". Isaac had a little friend come over yesterday and his friend said, "I am going to get to see Alvin and the chipmunks but first my mom and dad have to watch it to see if it is appropriate for little kids" I was so happy to hear this out of this 4 year olds mouth...other parents do this! Yea!! Not just important to watch things with our kids, but to watch them before to see if they should even be watching it. I hope that keeping his little mind safe from sarcasm, language (yes even words like hate, stupid and dumb), movies, tv shows, will help him keep his positive and sweet attitude about life. I'm sure he will come in contact with lots of stuff I won't like in the future, but he will be older and be more equipped to understand and process them. I think keeping their little minds safe now, and teaching them the importance of what goes into their minds, is really the first step to battle pornography. Yes pornography. HUGE epidemic. I am so scared being the mother of boys...they can come across it at such an early age...so maybe if I teach them HOW important it is to only let good things into our minds, starting now with all the little things, they won't have any problems in the future! I can only hope and pray!

I also want him to stay sensitive. If he watches "tv" violence now, what happens when he sees something that really happens like on the news or in real life? I want it to make an impact if he sees a little kid run over by a car...not like it happens in movies with the big cars that blow up and the guy walks out un- hurt. I want him to be shaken up with he sees people hurt by famine, or hurricanes, or earthquakes...and not be so desensitized by what he sees on t.v. Sometimes I start to think, oh, he won't be affected by this, he will forget it... but deep down I know I am kidding myself. I have read enough to know better. Everyone is affected.

I am so thankful for other mothers that have taught me the importance of all of this, especially my own mother and all of my sisters and sister-in-laws. This post turned into something I didn't plan on. But I have such strong feelings on this issue!...:)

Despite all the mistakes I have made-- Isaac, you are a great little boy and I love you!