Vacation parenting...

So, we are in Maui. I am actually blogging from under my beach umbrella right this minute.


So, please forgive any typos I might miss.

We have had a really good time so far. Except for missing my morning and evening Peanut-Mama time, yesterday was darn near the best day ever.

We all got up sooooo early yesterday. Because although it was 5:30 am here, our bodies were telling us it was 10:30 am. And, even I...cant sleep that late anymore. Then, Charlie made a full breakfast, my girls helped clean up after WITHOUT COMPLAINING, Internet! Charlie and Bradyn went on a diving/snorkeling adventure while me and Moey and my mother-in-law went to the spa. Massages for everyone! I told them the only way the day could get better was if Charlie took me out on a date.

The phone ring. It was Charlie, "Hey, what are y'all doing? Do you want to eat dinner in with my mom and then maybe you and I go down to Lahaina and hang out." Morgan replied, "Are you thinking you're talking to mom? Cause, I'd totally want to do that!" "Morgan? Ha! Yes, I thought I was talking to your mom." "Figures...here she is..."

So, yes. Yesterday rocked. And, today ain't too shabby either. Tonight, my ex-husband (thank you, Randy) has us set up with reservations at a sushi restaurant of a friend of theirs here. Sushi, people! Nom-nom-nom... I truly have no wants or needs in my life (except for the medical and spiritual well-being of some dear people in my life...and, maybe a new vacuum cleaner.)

So, I'm on the way to the beach this morning and as the elevator opens on the ground floor, there is Charlie...standing with a woman and her three daughters, "That's my wife!" he says. They are all laden down with groceries. I'm thinking, what the heck? Turns out, they were leaving, and I haven't gotten the full story yet, but they basically SUPREMELY OVER-BOUGHT at Costco and were giving it to us. We hit the mother-load, people. Complete with a boogie board...and a single, chocolate, delectable, frozen tasty treat.

Later, after I get all it put away and finally make it down to the beach. I relay the above story to the girls (including my mother-in-law) and they of course ask what all we got. Da-dum-dum!!!!!!!

I fidget. I try to change the subject. I tell them every single item in the friendly-condo-neighbors' inventory of grocery items donated to the Jay vacation fund....except the chocolate bar...which I KNOW is going to ruin the trip. I mean, I know these two daughters of mine. I squeezed them out personally.

Then, as if the Miss Susan Angel appeared before me, the answer was clear...a contest. Make the lucky consumer win the right to devour that heavenly morsel of frozen chocolate wonderfulness! But, what? What contest will adequately insure their delightfulness for the rest of the trip? The most helpful? The nicest to their sister? The neatest? The sweetest? The most patient?

Bam! I nailed it! The one who demonstrates most of the fruits of the spirit this week gets the prize! And, the conversation that followed leads me to believe I may know who may win.

"Bradyn doesn't even know the fruits of the spirit." Morgan grimaced.

"Yes, I do-ooo!" Bradyn replies in a sing-song voice, "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control!" (I would like to take this moment to personally thank Miss Ari and Mr. Brian from Kidcity right now.)

So, all you parents out there my question for you is this...how many of you specifically reward godly behavior in your kids? I don't do it enough. But, I think we should. In this world of Why? Why? Why? I think we need to make sure that answer is in light of God's reasons and not our own.

We should be loving because He is loving. We should be patient because He is patient. No other earthly reason will truly make your child, or yourself for that matter, think about consequences and what the right thing to do is. If you are a faithful spouse, is it because you're afraid of getting caught? If you work hard at your job, is it for the promotion? Or for God's glory?


"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:16-18

Mahalo!