Questioning Character

So, as parents we have to make choices everyday that concern our kids. A lot of the choices we make, we make because it is what is in the best interest of our child and/or family, but some of the choices we make because they are in the best interest for us. Those are the choices we may look at and consider our selfish choices. They're the choices we stress over for a long time about did I really make the right choice? Should I have chosen X or Y instead of Z? Was it too selfish of me to coose that?

Ok, so where am I going with this? Well. we all hear and/or say all the time that we would do anything for our children. You see in movies and shows where parents push the kid out of the way so they get hurt instead or something along those lines. Now, I know I love my kids, I hope my kids know I love them. But I'll admit it, I'm good at making those selfish choices sometimes and I've wondered "What would *I* really do in a situation like that?" I got my answer last week. Now, don't worry, it was nothing too dire and no one got hurt but it still answered my question.

I was in Arizona visiting Laura and we went and visited an old friend from High School who owns a pool. I had Rebecca in the pool, who wasn't loving it so much, when Charity trying to be funny on a floatie device decided to "pretend" to slip out of it and call for help, only problem was she got herself into a situation where she couldn't get back on. So, I decided to go over and save her. We were in the shallow end of the pool and I'd been doing my best to make sure my kids didn't go to the deep end since I wouldn't be able to get over to them easily while holding the baby. So, I head over to where she is. Well, as I took a step off the stair I'd been on while holding Rebecca, down we went. Down Down Down. I hadn't realized the pool was already deep at this point.

So, what were my first thoughts as my baby and I became submerged in the pool? They were about Rebecca. Get her up out of the water and safe. Make sure she was OK, and then check on Charity. Not for a moment did I think about me until I knew my kids were safe.

Made me very happy later when I was thinking about it to realize that yes, in our day to day lives I may occasionally make that selfish choice but when it really matters, I put my kids first. And honestly, what good parent doesn't stress over a choice they view as selfish (even though we all need to make those choices occasionally), we wouldn't be good parents if we didn't worry about how our choices affect our children.