I had QUITE a bad day yesterday… Of course, I blogged about it … When my children seem to ignore me {or even CHALLENGE me}, I tend to feel like I am doing something wrong… like I’m failing at something.
But then once I get it off my chest, I have to remind myself that my children KNOW they are loved and that’s why they feel comfortable testing their limits – and being themselves. They are not timid or scared or insecure. They are energetic and lively and even though sometimes they go overboard, their happiness and health are the most important thing to me because if they were ANY other way, I would be wishing they could try and test and challenge me.
It’s easy to lose sight of the things we take for granted every day when we become overwhelmed, but the fact of the matter is that I am SO thankful my children are ABLE to do even the most annoying things they do! And for the record, the sweet little simple things they do more than make up for any of the difficult times we go through together :)
For instance, Avalyn draped this yellow burp cloth over my small cake pan today and – with her enormous Kool-Aid stained smile – announced that she *made* me a cake … how can you get mad at this face?
Aww…
Hi, I read your blog often, but am not a blogger myself. Just a reader and a Mom of an 8 year old drama queen!! I had the same exact week you just had! This week my daughter has had such a smart mouth and so much back talk. She got a spanking that did nothing. Probably because I couldn’t get a good one in because she flails around so much. Still more back chat and homework whoas. She eventually got herself grounded from friends for the whole weekend by Wednesday night. I even complained about her to a friend at work yesterday. Then of course she is a perfect Angel last night. We got home from school and she played nicely by herself so I could cook dinner. No complaints of “I’m bored”. No complaining about what was for dinner, ate it right up, did her homework without whining or stalling, took her own bath when asked, brushed her own teeth without being asked and brushed her hair all on her own!! Daddy even said she was on her way to earning “some” of her weekend back. We shall see. I’m not about giving an mile when they give an inch.
But what a welcome relief. I too feel like such a failure too when Anna acts up. I feel like society puts so much pressure on us that any misbehavior from kids HAS to be the parents inability to properly discipline their children. Maybe it’s true. And it’s probably true that I don’t have all the tools either. I learn as I go and do the best I can. She can be sooo good for such a long time and then get into this funk and really misbehave for a good week or so. It’s like at school the kids really talk to each other in a very sarcastic and sometimes rude, but jokingly tone and then she doesn’t remember to turn that off when she gets home and is speaking to her parents. So I have to remind her that we are not her friends and to not speak to us that way. I hate having to compete with the influence of her peers at school.
Anyway, love your blog.
Nicole
Discipline is a tricky thing. Kids are GOING to be kids. You have to choose your battles wisely… but always be consistent. It gets tiresome and draining… especially when you have five kids like me LOL!!! But no child is ever gonna be perfect. Love them, train them… other than that, you can’t control them. Just do the best you can to teach them and hope for the best LOL!