Penance

Raise your hand if you have ever repeated yourself, with total clarity, to a precious child.

This game isn't restricted to parents. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, babysitters. We've all been there.

Don't do that.
or
Stop.
or
Knock that off!

The maddening repetition, waiting for it to sink and and stick, once!

Well, if I've told Aidan and Noah once, I've whisper-told them 150x, "don't touch the rack" (that holds the hymnals in church). Since they've continued to do it at least 149x after the first time I've told them the first time, they clearly still do it. Usually pulling themselves up off the seat, sometimes just swaying on it while waiting to sit again or I'm sure, to have their prayers answered and leave! Aidan snapped one finally. His face dropped. I was waiting for another "shhhit". But there was silence. He was just stunned. Probably petrified. I quietly, firmly, and, I hope also lovingly, told him to stand and be respectful and we would take care of it.

Fast forward.

We agreed to have Aidan help out with something since he couldn't exactly fix it. He agreed to the suggestion that he help clean something. Today he made good. I think it is safe to say that he will not be dangling from the pew again soon.