Listening

I tell my kids all the time to put on their listening ears. I have heard both boys say, "Do you understand what I am saying?" because that's what I say.
However, as a parent, it's hard to practice what you preach. I tend to try and do several things at once and think I have my kids figured out, when really I need to get down on their level more.
David has been telling me he doesn't want to go to Sunday school. I just blew it off saying, "Whatever, you love it, I'm your teacher there and I know you have fun." Finally, yesterday night, David told me specifically why he didn't like it anymore. "Mom, when you are my teacher you hug and hold the other kids and it hurts my feelings and I feel like you don't love me anymore. It makes me too sad." Verbatim. That's what he said. Yikes. Problem easily solved and could probably have been solved sooner had I not brushed David's comments off. David got my whole lap during the songs and the cuddlers simply sat with the other four adults that are teaching with me.
At bathtime Drew was going on and on about his finger hurting. I didn't even stop to really look at it, chalking his whining up to tiredness. When I finally got exasperated and peered at his little finger I saw a splinter the size of a small sapling sticking out. Oops. That probably did smart.
I just stuck my listening ears on a little better.