Capturing Teachable Moments Would she give the pink bubbles to her cousin? by Mary May Larmoyeux |
| How do you like being a teacher? After reading that question, you may have a puzzled look on your face. You might be thinking I’m not a teacher. If you’re a mom, a grandmom, an older sister, or an aunt, you probably teach someone every single day. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary define “teaches” as: 1 a: to cause to know something b: to cause to know how c: to accustom to some action or attitude d: to cause to know the disagreeable consequences of some action. So, let me ask you again, “How do you like being a teacher?” In the book Help for Busy Moms, my daughter-in-love Tonya says: “I have to grab a lot of teaching moments indirectly.” She adds, “It’s the little moments of the day that I get to seize the opportunity to show them [the kids] the gospel—how to love others when they aren’t loving you, how to share, how to obey not just in action—but also with the attitude of Christ.” The Bubbles Tonya and Chris’ three kids (5 and under) recently spent the night with Jim and me. Before the grandkids went home, we stopped by the store and bought each a bottle of bubbles. The five year old asked if we could also buy some bubbles for her three-year-old cousin. Of course the answer was, “Yes.” When we arrived at the house with bubbles in tow, there was a problem. The five year old announced that we only had one pink bottle of bubbles when we really needed two. You see, pink is not only her favorite color, but also her three-year-old cousin’s favorite color. Our oldest grandchild struggled out loud, “I want to give my cousin the pink bubbles because that’s her favorite color, but it’s mine, too.” When I remarked that the decision was up to her, she gazed intently at the various bottles of bubbles. It was going to be a tough choice. A couple of days later, when “cousin” came over, her parents remarked that they were working on the concept of sharing and explained that the three year old was going through the phase of everything being “mine.” After Mom and Dad left, it was a perfect time to tell our three-year-old granddaughter about her older cousin’s dilemma with the bubbles—to remind her that both girls have the same favorite color. And then, to place in the three year old’s hands the outcome of the five year old’s decision: the prized pink bubbles. The gift of pink bubbles gave the younger cousin a tangible example of how sharing benefits others. The words of 1 Timothy 6:18 were brought to life, “Instruct them to do good … to be generous and ready to share.” As I placed the pink bottle in the three year old’s hands, I knew God had used a little five-year-old girl to be His teacher that day. And I wondered, How do I share the “pink bubbles” in my life? |
Mary is the author of Help for Busy Moms: Purposeful Living to
Simplify Life and the co-author of The Resurrection Eggs®
Activity Book. She and her husband, Jim, live in Little Rock,
Arkansas, and have two married sons and five grandchildren.
You can contact her at mary@marymaywrites.com.
Simplify Life and the co-author of The Resurrection Eggs®
Activity Book. She and her husband, Jim, live in Little Rock,
Arkansas, and have two married sons and five grandchildren.
You can contact her at mary@marymaywrites.com.
Copyright © 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.