My two youngest children are best friends, and play a lot with each other.  It is so fun to see them enjoy each other.  This summer we have noticed that they are getting a bit too much play lately though. The sun comes up and someone is at our door asking to play.  The children do their chores and run outside.  They would stay there day after day, all day, if I didn't ever call them in. 

The other day my husband and I noticed some very distracted behaviors.  My six year old was showing off a lot and acting a lot more "crazy" than usual.  He was also trying to be the "funny guy" by popping off. We looked at each other and both knew something needed to change

Can parents actually be too soft?  Isn't love and affection always the answer?  If a parent isn't being soft aren't they being angry? 

I often have parents ask me about children who are really emotional.  They say things like, "...she is really sensitive."  or "...he has a tender heart." 

The opposite of calm is hurry.  If you feel like you have to hurry all the time, then you will never be calm.  Also, if you feel like you have to hurry through your teaching interactions with your children then you will also have a harder time staying calm.  Don't let your desire for being efficient ruin your ability to be calm. The great philosopher William Jordan said:

The first sermon in the world was preached at the Creation. It was a
Divine protest against Hurry. It was a Divine object lesson of perfect
law, perfect plan, perfect order, perfect method. Six days of work
carefully planned, scheduled and completed were followed by,--rest.

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