“Le Cœur A Ses Raisons, Que La Raison Ne Connaît Point.”

“The heart has its reasons, which reason does not know.”

This passage by Blaise Pascal came to my mind the other day as I was listening to a podcast on toddler tantrums. The Wee One isn’t a toddler yet, and is only starting to voice her displeasure when she doesn’t get something she wants. I’m still able to distract her and she moves along quite easily.

I was eating a banana the other day, which normally, we love to share. Bananas are hard on baby’s digestive systems, though, and I didn’t share any with her. I dread the day that she will react to something like this with spittle and wailing and arched back. I fear that I am not equipped to respond to her with love and patience.

As I was thinking and praying about this time, how I might be able to handle it, this quote came to my mind, and I thought it might be a good analogy for me and my Wee One. In this parallel, I am the Heart, and the Wee One is Reason. And I have reasons for saying yes or no which reason knows not. She may be furious with me for not sharing my banana, but I have reasons which she knows not, nor would she understand. Maybe thinking of that will help me handle a tantrum with grace. Parents, what did you learn about handling tantrums?