Yesterday I shared a story over on our Facebook page about my melt down last week….
I had finally put out a rug that I had been saving since Christmas last year and in less than 24 hours my oldest child had spilled chocolate pudding all over it. Between the ruined new rug and everything else that had been going on and was coming up that week (a family funeral, viewing, luncheon, Halloween, making costumes, meetings, deadlines, obligations, etc.) it was more than I could handle and I turned into berserko mom.
Poor Simon (my 11 year old that spilled the pudding) thought he had ruined my life…which he didn’t. Luckily I realized it before it was too late and was able to apologize.
But ever since then I’ve been thinking: so often we sacrifice what is going on at home because of things that are going on outside AND/OR often our kids get the brunt of frustrations that may not have much to do with their actions. It’s not fair. And I need to be more cognizant of what is going on….because, for the love, I can’t have my 11 year old thinking my life is over because he spilled his dark chocolate snack pack.
Being a mom is a tricky thing…you try to hold everything together..but sometimes…sometimes it’s hard. And when it is our kids know it, they feel it, and they worry about it. Realizing this doesn’t make stressful times any easier but it is something, at least for the time being, that is going to make it easier for me to say no to unnecessary things…because not only do I want to reduce my stress level but that of my kids.
It’s time to really prioritize between what matters most and what matters least…especially during the upcoming holiday season.
-liZ
Well said, Liz! Being a mom is the hardest job in the world, but the most rewarding. The children are only young once so we should enjoy them while we can. You are an excellent an caring mother.
Dear Liz,
When I was teaching middle school, my own daughters entered that “preteen” period of their life. One day I realized that I was so less flexible with my own daughters in the evening at home than my own students because of some of my frustrations at work dealing with preteens. That’s the day I decided to transfer to elementary school to work with a different age group than my own daughters. It ended up being the best idea ever.
Deborah