Angel!
She just recently began wanting to say her prayers by herself, without any help. This is impressive for a two year old. Especially considering that 5 year old Duckie still likes occasional help.
But just this week, Angel has discovered that she holds a lot of unprecedented power when she volunteers to pray for family or mealtime prayers. Everyone in the family stops whatever it was that they were doing and listens to HER. What 2 year old (and 4th child) wouldn't love that kind of attention?
So her prayers have turned into a list, where she thanks God for everything that crosses her mind, and then she starts talking to him like he's right there next to her and He's her best friend. It's so adorable. It's a WONDERFUL thing! With such childlike innocence and faith, it's a great example to all of us.
But what do you do when the prayer doesn't end? What do you do if 20 plus minutes have passed? If you interrupt Angel, or try to prompt her in anyway, she gets very upset. Offended, she insists on having to start over from the very beginning.
Tonight this happened for her bedtime prayers. It went on forever, so cute, rambling on about how she loves baby Jewel, and how she ate blue jello, and about all the books we just read...etc....etc. and then she'd pause, for a really really long time trying to figure out what to say, but if I prompted her to close the prayer. She'd shout "NO, MOM! I SAY THE PRAYER! NOT YOU! I SAY THE PRAYER!" and then she'd start all over. After the 4th time this happened, the ludicrous situation got to me and I started giggling uncontrollably. Angel was just too cute, and the situation was just too funny. I had been trying to hold it in for some time.
Angel was very delighted with this turn of events, as it garnered her more attention. Now she was even more excited to say another prayer. I guess Mom doesn't laugh enough, Angel was impressed that Mom could giggle.
But as it was now almost 1 hour past her bedtime with the multiple prayers repeated over and over, I had to put an end to it, cut it short and just turn off the lights and tuck her in bed.
Angel had a melt down and threw a fit. And I felt really bad and guilty for doing it. What parent tells their child to STOP praying? That's just fundamentally wrong!
*sigh*
I have a feeling that Angel might fit this whole episode into a regular part of her nighttime routine. If so, I'll need to try and find a more tactful way of ending her prayers early, but reasoning with a strong willed 2 year old is no easy task!
I'm glad she likes saying prayers, though. I have another daughter who still has a hard time wanting to pray meaningfully, so I'll count my blessings.
I guess I just need to be more patient. And schedule an extra hour into the girls' bedtime routine!!!
