(Losing My) Marbles

Marbles on the floor are a big trigger for me. Specifically, my kid throwing handfuls of marbles on the floor for fun. It triggers this voice in my head that gets louder and louder with every marble thrown onto the floor that points out how dangerous this is and how messy and how out of control my kid is being!

So by now, E has thrown half the marbles from the decorative bowl on the coffee table onto the living room floor. My shoulders tense, I feel a frown on my face as I open my mouth to reprimand and get E to clean up. But I stop myself.

Breathe.

Take a minute to let go of the ingrained response of being irritated at how dangerous he has made the living room by throwing marbles everywhere. 

Breathe. 

I retreat into my bedroom. Let my Mother-in-law take over watching E as he happily plays a game with the marbles. 

Breathe.

And realise that he is safe, he is big enough to know how to keep himself safe from rolling marbles and not fall down. He is only playing a game, he is entertaining himself.  

Just breathe and let go.