Manipulative Mom

I've recently discovered one of my flaws as a Mom.  I actually discover these all the time. This one I discovered by listening to my children talking and hearing echoes of what I say.

I hear my children say things like this: "If you don't give me that toy, I'm never going to play with you ever again!" Or "If you don't play with me right now, I'll never ever let you play with my toys again." It drives me crazy. I don't like my children manipulating each other into having to play a certain game or do something.

Then I heard myself the other day. "If you guys are going to be obnoxious and disobedient at the grocery store like this, I'm never going to take you grocery shopping with me again."

Ouch. It's one thing to hear your children repeat the way you say things that are funny. It's another to hear them say something that you know you shouldn't be saying. So, I'm trying to watch my words more carefully and find better ways to get my children to do/not do things. I'm trying to be more positive/motivating in getting them to do/not do things. I know manipulation like this is wrong. Let's hope I can change my ways and be a better example for my kids.

The Tantrum

I have a 3 year old who is the cutest, sweetest thing ever. Except when she's not.  When I try to explain to people that she has a temper and can be a screamer, sometimes they just give me a blank look as if to say "I can't imagine her being like that". Well, the other day I took a video of her screaming. I know it probably wasn't the kindest mom moment, but she wasn't hurt, she was just throwing a fit. I find it entertaining to watch. Please don't call child protective services on me. :)

A Child's Prayer

I love hearing my children pray.  I know that eventually they need to learn to have such a personal relationship with God that they can pray silently. Right now, though, I enjoy having the opportunity to hear what they have to say as they pray. 

My 3 year old is one of my favorites to listen to as she says her prayers each night.  She is so specific.  "Please bless this owie right here that it will get better, and this one," she'll say as she points to various places on her leg.  I could learn a thing or two from her.  I need to be so specific as I pray to God.  I'm pretty sure he wants to bless us specifically, not just generally, and kids get that.  Listening to their prayers reminds me that I have a lot to learn and improve.

Cousins

I love the fact that my kids are growing up knowing most of their cousins and being able to play with them. Granted, the closest cousins on my side of the family live 2 hours away, so it's not like they get to see them on even a monthly basis.  Still, though, every couple of months, they get to see some of their cousins and hang out and play with them. 

Extended family is pretty important in my family.  In fact, I'm pretty sure my family extends more than most families.  My husband (who has 3 cousins he rarely sees) was always amazed that I knew my second cousins (children of my parents' cousins). Even though we lived on the East coast while many of them lived out west, we still had family reunions on a regular basis (every couple of years) and got to see and play with them. 

I'm so glad that for most of their cousins, my children don't have to wait several years to see them.  There's something to be said about knowing your relatives and seeing not just family resemblances, but personality resemblances and idiosyncrasies and knowing that you share a common family history.

Hooray for family! Here's to family reunions and cousins.

Love/Hate Relationships

This post is inspired by my sister's post on her love/hate relationship with Mother's Day. http://thefoards.blogspot.com/2012/05/love-hate-relationship.html
My love/hate relationships, however, are with certain toys/activities.  Here are some of the things I love and hate simultaneously.

1 - Play-doh. Maybe it's because some of my children are still pretty young, but this is definitely not a hands-off activity.  "Mom, will you press it down for me." "Mom, will you help me make..." "Waaah, it didn't work." Maybe if I bought new play-doh more frequently, it would constantly be soft and my children would not need me to smash it flat for them. It just always seems to be a fairly time-intensive activity.
2 - Sidewalk chalk. Are there many things messier? They can draw some cool pictures, but everyone ends up covered with chalk and needing to change clothes and wash off.  The baby especially enjoys talk.  It seems to taste good, and crawling through it seems to be extra enjoyable.
3 - Bubbles. Everyone enjoys bubbles, but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to do bubbles without one or more of my children spilling theirs and being in tears because it's all gone.

I understand that really it's just my laziness that causes me to hate some toys.  But really, if I'm going to spend time doing an activity with my children, I confess that I'd rather have it be something I enjoy also. What toys do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Because She is a Mother

One of my favorite talks of all time about motherhood.  Happy Mother's Day!

Because She is a Mother by Jeffrey R. Holland

Courageous Parenting

I just saw this quote again after a while and was reminded of the wisdom in it.

Love this. I will be courageous.