The "rules" no one writes down.

So I saw a post on FaceBook this morning that was titled, "25 Manners Every Kid Should Know By Age Nine". I agreed with the article, but it got me thinking, too.

We've always tried hard to instill in our children a gratefulness and appreciation for the things they have. We've worked at teaching them manners to be used both at home and in public (not that they readily remember them when the time comes). But there are a few things (rules, per se) that weren't on the list so I thought I'd add a few...

1. Don't try to wipe your boogers on your siblings. Use a tissue and wash your hands.
2. Don't lick the dog. I don't want to have to pull the hair out of your mouth... again.
3. When I'm on the phone with a doctor, a grandparent, a social services employee, or anyone from your school please refrain from acting like a herd of monkeys - or at least be quiet monkeys until I'm off the phone.
4. For the love of Mark Ruffalo flush the toilet!
5. Don't smear your banana covered fingers on the sliding glass door. The dog licks it off and it makes me want to throw up.
6. If, during bedtime story, you find that I'm skipping pages or only reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph, just go with it. It's for my your own good.
7. Sidewalk chalk is for the sidewalk. Not the carpet in your bedroom, the bumper of the suburban, or snack.
8. When you're flossing your teeth and you find something in there, feel free to not show everyone.
9. Announcing "number 1" or "number two" is not necessary when you're heading to the bathroom. No one wants to know.
10. House-plants drink water. Not juice or chocolate milk.

I can think of MANY more, but this is a good start. What are some of your house rules?

The one with all the Easter confusion.

So this morning as I was driving the kids to the bus stop we started discussing Easter. Natalie was asking questions about Jesus dying on the cross. I started to explain to them how after Jesus died while he was hanging on the cross they brought his dead body to a cave (tomb) and put a big rock in front of it and guards stood watch so no one would try to steal the body. And that Jesus laid there for three days and then...

"...and then they sent him to a lion's den!" (Carter)

"No, buddy. That was Daniel, not Jesus..."

"Oh, right."

"So, like I said, after three days--"

"... and then after the three days Jesus ended up in a BIG fish's mouth in the ocean and God saved him!"

"Uh, that was Jonah, buddy."

So, after noting that we need to have a major Bible story review with Carter, ASAP  I continued on to explain to them how after the three days Jesus became alive again and went to heaven and will one day come back to take all the people who love him to heaven with him. I talked to them about what a gift it was for Jesus to die on the cross so that we can go to heaven when we die even though we do things that make him very sad sometimes. He loves us so much that he chose to die so we can be forgiven.

After the long explanation Natalie states simply, "I don't know if I want to go to heaven."

"Really? How come?"

"Well, you said that Jesus will come back for all the people on earth and we'll get to live in heaven - but I think I'll just stay here."

"Why do you want to stay here if everyone is gone?"

"Well someone needs to stay here to take care of all the animals!"