Comparisons

In recent news these to munchkins went back to school.

 Since the kidlets are in School I have been able to be so much more productive. Granted it's only 2 days in, but the kitchen floor has been mopped and nobody wrecked 5 other areas of the house while I did it, so I've come out ahead for the first time in a long while.  Although I miss their cute faces.

 (their first day)

Leighton has started crawling a bit, it's only a little break in her usual form of travel, but it's getting better everyday.  She has been mobile (in a very breaker, ninja style way) for a while, but the crawling is new and I'm loving it!  I was starting to think it would never happen. 

So the other day I heard someone say 

Comparison will destroy Joy. 

I liked it so much I'm seriously thinking of putting it in my house.  I thought of all the situations that comparison comes into play in my own home.  

When I have my kids clean the playroom its an all out war of who is doing the most work.  Usually (OK, always!) it's brother cleaning and Sister "oh I haven't played with you forever" sidetrack and start dressing up Barbie.  Then brother sees her, and gets mad, and then the war breaks out.  

The.... how come they get a treat/to play/a new something!

and then there is so much comparison I can do with Leighton.  She is over a year and barely starting to crawl, and I can so easily compare her to kids her own age who are running all over and instead of Joy I could feel sadness, or I could compare her to other Ds kids who aren't doing it yet and then instead of Joy I feel guilt. 

Comparison can take an accomplishment or something your completely content and happy with and destroy it.  Even comparing your spouse to someone else can deplete the happiness of your marriage.  I can think of so many situations it will destroy Joy. It's already something I try to teach my kids, and it's going to be hammered in there little heads even more now. I am going to be more conscientious when comparison is rearing it's ugly head.

-JS