No More Jumping

“Cut it out! Stop jumping!” I said as my kids bounced on the couch.

It was almost dinnertime on a school night and I was trying to finish cooking so we could sit down and eat. And yet instead of playing quietly, the kids were tearing through the house, jumping off couches and sliding across the wood floor.

From the kitchen I sighed, knowing I should put an end to their antics by engaging with them instead of yelling. But it had been a long day and I was tired. All I wanted was to finish dinner quickly. And so I yelled, then returned to the stove.

After a few minutes, I turned back. And saw they were no longer jumping on the couch, but jumping off it. Into a pile of cushions and stuffed animals they’d thrown on the floor.

Again I yelled. “Guys! Stop! Someone is gonna get…”

Before I could spit the words out, my youngest slipped from her perch atop the couch arm. I put down my spoon and ran.

In my arms, she wailed.

“It’s all right,” I said, then checked her head for a bump (none), thanked God for our rug (thicker than the last) and thanked my husband who’d just finished work and was now cleaning ther mess.

And then I mustered the energy I had left and called the kids into the kitchen.

“Want to help make guacamole?” I asked.

“Guacamole?! Yes!” they screamed.

Soon their cries were replaced by the sound of chairs scraping wood as they dragged them up to the kitchen island. I halved four ripe avocados and scooped them into a bowl.

“Here, your turn. Mash them up,” I said, handing each kid a spoon.

And mash they did, laughing as bits of avocado flew out of the bowl and onto the counter. Then laughing even harder when my youngest started pulling out chunks to eat.

Soon their antics had me laughing too. And when we all sat down to eat, everyone was smiling. For the rest of the night, there was no more couch jumping. No more running.

Which reminded me again of how important our time together really is. How much happier we are talking and laughing together. And I promised myself that next time the kids get restless I’ll skip the yelling and just take out some avocadoes. Because we all love a side of guacamole. Especially when it’s served with laughter.