Parenting.....or something like it.

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.  ~John Wilmot

I remember a time (before I had kids) when I had all the answers for my friends, family, and complete strangers who were parents. No way would I EVER allow my child to act like theirs. MY child would never cry or scream in a store. MY child would never shout NO at me in the yard for all the neighbors to hear. MY child would never burp, poot, or talk about burping or pooting in public. MY child would never be ugly to another child. MY child would never, EVER, hit at me or others, or call me mean! These are just a few of the things I USED to say. Well, I have been properly put in my place and have also learned the hard lesson of NEVER SAYING NEVER (in my head when I type this I hear the promo for the Justin Bieber movie:) Over the past several days all of the above and then some have happened to me. I'm trying really hard to be a consistent, loving parent who never loses her temper, but man is it hard when a five year old boy pees in your garage (yes you read that right) and an almost 2 year old girl looks at you and says, "NO!!" when asked to do something. This week I have taken away a Nintendo DS, a Wii, television privledges, given lots of time outs, and cried....yep, laid in the floor and cried like a baby when the earlier mentioned 5 year old boy screamed for 45 minutes. I almost gave in, but I stood my ground. And things seem to be looking up. No crying or screaming from the boy today. When I told him to come in from outside for dinner, he came. No telling twice or threatening. As I type this he is laying beside me with his head on my shoulder and if I didn't know any better I would think a stranger was impersonating him when he has fits. Being a teacher, I always prayed for kids that would be good at school and in public and act out only at home, and I definitely got my wish. I'm sure that 90% of my friends who will read this do not believe that my precious angel boy could ever do these things....but they happened. However, last week I watched a large group of 4 and 5 year olds have music time and story time during VBS. I can proudly say that my sweet boy was one of the few who sat quietly and listened. He didn't run or scream. He listened to his teachers and other adults. He was kind and respectful. This is the boy I'm raising. I pray that his sister will be as good of a student as he is. She's a little feistier than him, but I know she will look up to him and will want to behave like her brother does when they are away from me. So even though things at home are sometimes hard, I am thankful. Thankful for children who know how to behave when it really, really counts. Thankful for children who love me even though I'm not always the perfect parent. Thankful for friends to call when I feel like I'm the only one with these problems!!!

Now the thing about having a baby - and I can't be the first person to have noticed this - is that thereafter you have it.  ~Jean Kerr


Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.  ~Oscar Wilde
Hot dogs always seem better out than at home; so do French-fried potatoes; so do your children.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960