The other day I was cleaning my room, and I came across this little gem….
I have shared it before, but it still is a good reminder.
I don’t remember the exact circumstance, but I imagine it was one of those days where I felt I had to completely lose my shit in order to get the kids to pay attention. Ugh. I hate those days. The bickering, the back talk, the constant reminders to the boys that they have certain responsibilities….. The frustration level builds and builds – until it happens. I yell and scream and cuss – and sometimes even cry. Completely ridiculous.
Somehow, this “apology note” (and the little gift he made me) was like a flick in the forehead. Seriously. Was there anything that happened that day that should have caused a complete and total breakdown?!? Again, without remembering exactly what set me off on this particular day – I can say with certainty that my kids have never done anything so horrible that deserves me becoming a raving lunatic. So was I really mad at them? Or was I upset because my day did not go how I wanted it to go? Think about it for a minute…..
My kid was somehow able to see through my tantrum and apologize – not for his behavior, but for my missed unrealistic expectations.
Being a parent is challenging. That is not news to anyone. In a previous post, I talked about “choose” being my mantra this year. We all have the chance to choose how we react to any situation that life throws at us. We can’t always control the situation, but we can always control how we act. Being a mom is really no different.
Sure, who doesn’t want days with no sibling rivalry? No arguing over who needs to put the milk away, or who rode in the front seat last. No whining because they are bored or hungry or tired. A day where everyone does what they need to do, without me being the bad guy… And yet, when that day comes, I will probably feel like I am not needed – and that will suck so much more!
Just yesterday, I allowed my crappy attitude to perpetuate a bad day, until I pulled my head out of my ass and adjusted my path. And… it had NOTHING to do with my kids. Granted, the people I was dealing with have the mentality of high school mean girls, but still…
I’m not saying there won’t be more days like this. I imagine the frequency is about to increase as we approach the boys 10th birthday (next week). I am positive my frustration level will grow right in line with my expectations of their behavior. But I am going to honestly try to keep this reminder from Kevin in the back of my mind….
Make the best of the days you have. Especially when it comes to spending time with those that you love. Adjust your expectations. Change your plans. Make the most of life & live it to the fullest. OR…. Choose to be miserable and angry. Miss out on the good stuff.
The choice is yours.
#CrazyAsAMother #ChooseHappy #RealityCheck
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