Kids Are Not Toy Bins

In less than one month, we will be welcoming our 3rd baby to the family in just 4 short, quick years. My how things change from the 1st to the 3rd child! With our first 2, we found out the sex of the baby. One boy, one girl. We figured we would go for the surprise on our last one, which means our preparation is significantly different (fancy words for “very little”). The nursery is just primed, we have no real wall hangings, still need to find time to pick out paint color choices for a boy and a girl, and overall, I don’t feel as organized as in the past.

And the bottom line, is that I like organization. I like to feel in control.

I’m drawn to bins, baskets, Tupperware containers, cube systems for toy storage, collapsible bins for books, and much, much more. Having children has both challenged my ability to organize (toys and clothing, oh my!), and stirred the beast from within in ways I was previously unaware of.  Art supplies, preschool books, dinosaurs, play-kitchen items, race cars, blocks…..I feel like screaming, ‘Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!’ Where does everything possibly go?!?

But one thing remains. No matter how hard I try to have things in order, my kids do not fit neatly into boxes, bins and containers. It should go without saying that I don’t mean this literally. What I do mean, however, is that children have a way of bending the rules, breaking out of the mold, and surprising us with personalities, preferences, and temperaments. This has been true with both of my children in entirely different ways. And it reminds me and humbles me that I am not in control like I wish I was or would like to think that I am. The old adage, ‘Expect the unexpected’ really has some truth to it.

God has created our children to reflect His beautiful image to the rest of the world. He is not in the business of creating cut-out dolls that all look the same, and there is much beauty to be found in that which is unique, different and surprising.