Thought of the Day 12.08.08

Sometimes achieving the most desirable results takes a little preparation. For example, my sons are both different in the way they respond to me when I come home from work every night. Spencer likes to play hide and seek, which eventually leads to a hug and a kiss, which is nice. But Ethan has a different approach. He likes to tackle me.

Even though Ethan was never particularly affectionate in his first year or two, he is now extremely cuddly and always wants someone to hold him. And when I come home from work, he rushes me and tries to jump into my arms. But I was usually burdened with things I was carrying in from the car like my bag, travel mug, lunch sack, or the mail.

I could have seen this as an annoyance to me getting my items into the house and tried to get him to be less exuberant. But at what cost? Instead, I started deliberately leaving everything in the car on my first entry so that I would be free to fully receive his loving assault. Full-on toddler hugs are far more valuable than an extra trip to the garage.