It All Matters {Embrace the Ordinary 2018 vol.5}

I made it a goal to sort the sets out, because one son keeps building (amazing) things out of random pieces, and another son keeps grumbling and acting nasty about his little brother using all the pieces. To be fair to each son, the little brother (creative builder) is full of ideas and wants to make them happen, and the big brother is frustrated about pieces being used from his set. Then again… big brother hasn’t kept his sets tidy.

When all the Legos are a mixed up mess, when they’re a source of angst and frustration instead of joy and creativity, something has to change.

I’d be fine with dumping of all the pieces into one giant box, to be honest. It’d solve a lot of whining about which piece belongs to whom, for one thing. But the kids have so many specific sets that we’re trying to put them back into order and remind them whose pieces and sets are whose. Also, I’ve realized that sorting matters for more reasons that simple organization.

It matters to remind them about ownership and responsibility, about caring for their belongings so that they can enjoy them.

It matters to me to teach them more proactively about picking up when they’re done playing.

It matters when they learn to cooperate while sorting and while building.

It matters that they learn to speak kindly to each other about missing pieces, about mixed up pieces and sets, and not run to me whining and tattling about, “He took my Lego!!”

It matters that I have the self-discipline to follow through with this enormous task, instead of avoiding the living room and blaming the slow progress entirely on my boys. It’s tedious! But it needs completion.

It matters that Fence joined in and helped sort on his day off. Hopefully the boys recognize that Daddy also cares that they have their sets together, and gives his time to help them sort and rebuild.

It matters when they learn to appreciate their toys, to appreciate cooperation, to appreciate playing and building together once this is done.

It matters because the home is where kids ought to start working out these lessons, with the (hopefully) patient guidance from their parents. It matters because in all the little things, we prepare our children for the big things. What they learn now will transform the rest of their lives. 

Yes, it’s tedious. Yes, I’d rather share beach photos with you this evening than continue sorting Legos. Yes, I wish I’d nagged reminded them and encouraged them more to keep their sets together and to put them away instead of leaving them to become this test of patience and self-discipline.

But this task is one of the hidden moments that matters. It has potential for character-building if we don’t give in to the uglier sides of ourselves. And this is the ordinary of my life. As Saint Josemaria Escriva said, “Either we look to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him.”