I had a really mature moment yesterday. So mature in fact, that I thought I’d share with all of you equally mature people out there who also happen to be raising our future generation.
Let me set the scene.
Birthday party at the Children’s Museum. We arrived late and thus playtime was cut in half. Loads of sugar and blue icing….everywhere. Not enough time, so… birthday boy didn’t get to open presents in front of kids. (My oldest’s love language is gifts…no present-opening in front of him equals devastation when he isn’t able to see how the recipient liked his gift. Been that way for years.)
On the way home in 5 o’clock traffic…kids bickering. Then more bickering. Then I misunderstand my 2-year-old who apparently wants to show me his Children’s Museum wristband….incorrectly though, I hear “take it off Mommy.” NOT what he said. More devastation.
More traffic.
More screaming.
“Boys, seriously….inside voices. Be nice. Stop hitting. W, just give your brother the toy. For real, just give it to him. I don’t care if you had it first…he’s 2 and won’t stop crying. Help me out here bud. Please….both of you…enough yelling!”
More screaming and crying. Still arguing. Storm clouds looming….traffic standing still.
Then….
“STOP SCREAMING!!!! I’M GOING CRAZY! SERIOUSLY….JUST STOP SCREAMING!!!!”
“WAAAAAAAA!!!!” (from both kids.) “Mommy you scared me. Why did you just scream at us like that?! Booohoooohooo.”
Then….more crying.
So…I did the mature thing then since I’m almost 34 and all. I turned up the music and “put another dime in the jukebox baby” along to Joan Jett.
Sometimes, I really, really do “Love Rock ‘N Roll.”
Jesus…save my kids from my mistakes please?!! Heaven knows we’ve got a counseling bill coming our way one day!
Friends…. tell me I’m not the only one who’s walking in this level of maturity on occasion?! When was the last time you dropped the awesome on your kids like this?!
No I have never done this. And I never lie!
My children are in their 20’s so I plead amnesia.
I’m probably going to plead amnesia tomorrow….except that I just wrote it down. Dang blog accountability! 🙂
Oh, yes, I have been there…more often than I would really like to admit!
This is the first time this has ever happened to me….I mean, normally I’m just so….what’s the word? Oh yeah….perfect.
LOL! If only huh?! Thank goodness for grace!
Logan – my children had the stomach bug over the weekend. My daughter (age 10) projectile vomited in her room. Instead of being sympathetic mother, I gave her a lesson on how to barf in one place. I’ll give you a by until age 3 and then I expect you to hit the toilet. She was crying, I was gagging, and there was hot pink fluids on the carpet. I could have done a lot better at comforting her (which I did the other 5 times, just not the first).
Oh Kimberly, I feel you. Six year old vomited all over the couch and pillows today and just laid there barfing all over on her side. I comforted her then told her to “hit the bag that’s why I gave it to you” next time. Counseling here we come.
Logan, if that’s the worst it gets… YOU DONE GOOD, MOMMA!! I won’t even tell you what literally LEAP out of my frustrated mouth yesterday! Oh dear heavens… I even had to apologize BIG for it.
*however, it did get their attention… and the fighting DID stop* Yay me??????
(I’m thinking NO)
I would add….while I wouldn’t recommend this as a good parenting strategy, I do think our children need to know we are not saints and that they need to listen the first time, AND when we blow it this is how we ‘repair’ the situation….apologise, accept responsibility, make restitution etc etc ….so it can be a learning process….rather than always require then to ‘kiss n makeup’ we can show them how!!! :/
Ha! Two days ago for me in desperation I wrote this prayer adapted from Solomon.. In 1 Kings 3:7-9… “Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant girl a mother to carry on like my mother before me. BUT I AM UNSKILLED AND LACK UNDERSTANDING AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CARRY OUT MY DUTIES. Your servant is here among the babies ( children) you have chosen for me. So give your servant a discerning heart to mother them, to govern and distinguish between right and wrong. Help me to teach them. For who but You know the only way to love them, these babies (children) of yours.”
why do children choose the car? Why on earth do they choose the stinkin’ car as their mode of something on God’s green earth to make you go bonkers? Maybe it’s due to the need to focus and my auditory learning that gets slammed.
I’m going to have to write out a similar story so I don’t forget it in years to come, then you can read it and know why we are friends:)
Logan — I was reading this and thinking, like Beverly, that in households that are filled with love and patience it isn’t such a bad thing to lose your top now and again. It is good social development for your kids to understand that others have limits, that not everyone is as patient as Mom and Dad, and that if you push too far people will become displeased with you. Think how important a skill that is in life! With bosses, teachers, partners, friends …
So well done!
Especially because I know you followed with love and snuggles….