My Son & I Are Different

It was a Saturday morning, probably about 6:00. I was drinking coffee and feeding the baby. Luke came in and announced that we were going to spend the morning "getting this house organized." Organization is far from being my strong point. It drives my son crazy. He preceded to draw a map of the house and then number the rooms or areas in order of priority, the visual plan for the day. He took at least a few minutes to show me his map and explain the plan in very careful and simple terms. He wanted to get started and I told him I'd meet him at the hallway cabinet (#1) as soon as I finished feeding the baby. After about five minutes he came back into the room; stomping, frustrated, tearing his map to shreds, and declaring "this is never going to work in this house!" I held back laughter and felt genuinely sorry for him at the same time - poor organized kid trying to survive in this crazy house with two unorganized parents. This episode made me realize a few things. The first, that in a few years - Praise God - I'll have a kid who will actually be able to bring some order to this place! Secondly, I realized that he would do better with a school work space that was his own and could be organized. I had been preparing an area for a desk because it's not rocket science for a mom and teacher to think a desk is a good idea but I hadn't realized just how critical it would be. I got the desk in place a lot faster after this Saturday morning episode and really haven't struggled much over the independent school work since. He can leave his separate books and work set out just how he wants them. He set up a cup with a few pencils and a few crayons. It's all right there for him, laid out, organized, not touched and moved about by unorganized people.