Things have moved on a little since my earlier blog post about Parenthood, Prayers and Post-It Notes.
My eldest child Sam, now almost 2 1/2, is having plenty of moments of, "No, it's not hers, it's mine" and the challenge to learn to share is as big as ever.
However he seems to get the idea of saying "Thanks" to Jesus in his prayers, then asking for Him to help other people, not just himself.
At the moment, one of his regular prayers is for his sister,
"Thank You, Jesus, for this lovely, lovely food. And we pray... that you make Ruthie (his sister) happy. Amen"
We humans are all quite self-centered, and Sam is no exception, but he has a very kind side to him that is full of affection for his little sister, possibly an awareness that others who are smaller than he are in need of special care and attention. And my wife and I hope to nurture that as he grows up, so that he doesn't lost it, but it becomes a central part of who he is.
Before I became a Dad, I used to hate parents showing off about their "amazing" children, and I know I run the risk of sounding like that. But I am proud of my boy's growth in faith and in awareness of others. And he is gradually learning some foundational things that will help him become a real man when he is older.
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