Maybe They Are Going to Be OK

We were on vacation last week, and I had one of those moments — you know the kind. The “Maybe my kids won’t be completely useless members of society” kind of moment.

We were having lunch outside on the porch when I knocked over my drink. It spilled under the table, soaking into the outdoor carpet. Classic me. Time to clean it up.

I gathered my dishes and went inside, fully expecting to be the lone janitor on duty. But before I could even grab a towel, my son followed me in — already wetting a paper towel. To clean it up. A mess he didn’t even make.

I handed him one with a little soap and a dry towel for backup, and off he went. No drama, no sighing, no disappearing into thin air (which, let’s be honest, is the usual strategy when cleaning is involved).

At the exact same time, my daughter asked where the broom and dustpan were. A planter had tipped earlier in the week, spilling dirt onto the porch, and she decided it was time to fix it. She swept up the soil, tucked it back into the pot, placed the decorative glass ball just so, and refilled the water bottle inside it.

Excuse me, WHO ARE THESE CHILDREN?

When did they start taking care of things that weren’t even their mess? When did they start showing up like this?

I wasn’t about to question it.

Sure, maybe it was because we were in a rental house and they knew we had to leave it looking decent. Even so — they treated the space with care. Respect. Responsibility. The kind you hope they eventually show for other people’s things. For the world.

And then, a few nights later, I got hit with COVID. Full-body aches, zero energy, and the unmistakable feeling that I was slowly melting into the sheets. Normally, I lie with my daughter while she falls asleep — don’t judge, it’s part of my own bedtime routine. (Or the end of it, if I pass out too.)

That night, I just couldn’t do it. But my son saw me fading and offered to sit with her. And she LET him. He stayed with her through a whole breathing exercise and a full sleep story.

And I just lay there thinking, “Wait. When did I get teammates?”

Right when you think your only job in life is Snack Dealer and Conflict Mediation, they surprise you.

Here’s to more of those moments — the ones that remind you it’s all sinking in, little by little.

Have your kids surprised you lately? Dropped a nugget of kindness or responsibility when you least expected it? Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear your “maybe they’ll be okay” moment. Let’s celebrate the little wins together.