One Bad, Two Good.

Dinner time.

The rush, the hurry up and chew, run off to do homework, or playing video games.

Research shows the benefits of taking the time to sit down to dinner. Of talking with your children, of trying to get them to talk about their day. Of learning how to talk with your kids now,  as a prevention of bigger problems

With so much going on though, all they want to do, and possibly you too (your day has been long too), how can you get them to talk? To do it without fighting with one another? Without talking over one another, clambering for attention.

In comes One Bad, Two Good.

One Bad, but Two Good

Inspiration came one day as I was frustrated trying to deal with three children at the dinner table. Yelling at one another, trying to get my attention, dealing with a two year old who was throwing food for fun. I knew that I needed to hear all about the good and the bad from my kids and their school day, but I was overwhelmed.

Over all the noise, I said, almost yelling with my small voice, "one bad, two good."

Suddenly, they all looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

"I want to hear about just one bad thing in your day, but then you will tell me two good things. We want to know what bad stuff happened, but we gotta know there is good too. And we ALWAYS want more good than bad."

So then we went around the table. It wasn't easy, but over the next weeks, they realized that they each would get their turn. Yep, even the two year old.

A flower in the Rain

Now, two years later, my kids get excited when I sit down with my plate. "One bad, two good." And the turns begin. Everyone happily waiting their turn. Even My four year old, usually with a few chuckles from the rest of us as she tells us how hard it was on the playground, but how much fun she had because she got to eat "cupcakes." Or some other thing. And it's working on her story skills.

Some days are harder though, and I don't want to do it. I just want to eat my food, and then go vegetate...but it's important. Those days, my kids chime in, "Mom, whats your one bad, two good?" And just like that I'm reminded how important it is. 

So what's the importance to us as adults, besides just learning from our kids about their day? Is it even vital to our daily life, even sans kids?

YES!!! It's important to recognize the bad in our life, the trials. So accept them, to learn and grow from them. To realize that they truly happened.

Flower in the Road

 However, it more important to realize there are more good things that happen in your daily life. To see how even despite the bad, something good happened. Despite the pain, a flower was there in the midst.

So here you go, here's my past two days. One bad, two good.

Tuesday. 

1. Exercised and got dizzy due to my improperly functioning nose. 
2. Felt proud for making it through the exercise by taking breaks. 
3. Saw my daughter receive an award for Honor Roll. 

Wednesday 

1. Kids fought badly when getting ready for school. 
2. The mountains looked gorgeous with the moon hanging quietly beside them. 
3. In home therapist for my kids, helped me to brainstorm and plan how to fix morning rituals. 

Now how about you? One bad, two good. 

When we acknowledge the bad, but recognize the good despite the bad, all becomes good in our world, if only for a second. 

Rainbow in the Storm