Ungrateful

After having a fun day at the planetarium and Deet's we stopped by at the Hibbert's for a little while. Upon leaving Grandma asked if it was okay if they had some candy to take home. Of course. Sam saw a package of Skittles and a package of Starbursts and was so excited but when we told him he'd have to share he got mad. When he found out he'd only get a fourth of the candy he got really mad and started crying and talking smart. He said he didn't want a fourth, he wanted the whole thing. Neil told him fine, than you're not getting any which really set him off. (I was glad Neil was being the bad guy for once). Sam is our most emotional and dramatic child and can be ungrateful at times more than the others. I guess Neil decided tonight was the night he'd learn a lesson. Usually when this kind of thing happens, and it's usually over candy (thus no candy in our house) we end up giving in and giving it to him later on that day or the next because we feel bad. We stuck to our guns this time. Oh boy did he wail and scream and try to hurt our feelings all the way home. He told us he's never been more sad in his whole life and that he would never sleep with us again. (That's really giving it to us Sam. I'm glad that's the worst thing he could come up with to say.) He promised he would be happy if we just gave him the candy. We had a good discussion with the other kids about choices and consequences and relating the experience back to Heavenly Father and yada yada yada while Sam wailed away. When we got home and put the kids to bed Sam just wanted to be by himself. In his personal prayers he did ask for forgiveness and for help in being more grateful and that he'd be happy today. Boy was his prayer answered. He's been such a happy boy today! I hope the lesson was learned and we don't have to go through that again, especially in a confined space for 45 minutes.

As Neil and I were talking last night we realized that's being grateful is such an important lesson to learn and it will be easier to learn at a young age. We've all got to learn to be grateful for our blessings and our stations in life because if we're not we'll never be happy. Like Sam, instead of being happy with some candy, he chose to be sad and unhappy because he didn't get all the candy he wanted and oftentimes when we're ungrateful it is eventually taken away by our Heavenly Father. I look around and so often I want it all, who doesn't, but I know that it's not realistic and truly it's not what's going to make happy. I have to step back and look at all the things I have to be grateful for. No it's never the biggest and bestest but it's sufficient for our needs. Even though this was a lesson for Sam, it was a great reminder for me.