Positive reinforcement

No need to force myself into any positive activities today.  Kyra and Mitchell came over for a visit and that’s as good as hitting the reset button on anybody’s psyche.  They laugh and smile and giggle so freely and so fully that it’s all that anybody needs to cheer up.  Talk about perfect timing.
When I heard that they were coming I started baking peanut butter cookies.  I decorated the coffee table with miniature candy bars and packages of pez candies.  I put out a dish of cheez it sticks.  I took a mental inventory of kid-favorite foods in the freezer (like chicken nuggets, frozen pizzas, and french fries).  It all worked like a charm.  Shyness wore off in a very few minutes, and sneaks and giggles took its place.
It makes me feel very successful when a child does not want to leave my home.  That probably sounds wierd, but it makes me feel like I’ve provided a happy place for them and I love that.  There are always care packages to-go (of cookies and candies, etc.) and promises of what we’ll do on a return visit.
Now back to reality.  I need groceries before tomorrow.  We have empty bottles and cans to return from the last several months.  Hmm….
J