I had a crazy revelation a few months ago. I kept being frustrated with my kids and waiting for them to get their “act together” and whatnot. I spent more time being frustrated with them than I spent teaching them. I was wishing they would act differently, but never actually doing anything to help them.
I’ve had a little parenting revival here! It started before I went on the anti-depressants. So, I can’t attribute it to that (although it surely hasn’t hindered my progress). This fall, I was convicted about my parenting. I had been treating my children like they were interruptions in my schedule. I was angry and frustrated with them when they needed me during times that I didn’t want to be bothered.
I don’t know the answer to the age old question regarding balance and motherhood. Time for me vs. time to focus on the kids. I do know one thing though. My children are learning about people, how the world works and what they want from life every day. I can actually put down my tablet (insert distraction of your choice here) and engage in the process or I can let their minds be molded by the media and others.
And there is good media. And there are good “others”. But I do have a responsibility as their mom to step up my game.
This isn’t going to resonate with some of you because you’ve been so in the game you can’t even see straight. But I haven’t been. I read too many books that burned me out on parenting theories when my kids were babies and I moved too far the other way. I think it also helps that I no longer have babies. This is a new parenting season for me.
It feels good to be back. I have no theories or methods other then praying for wisdom and spending time with them. I’m sitting with them and reading with them. I’m asking myself what I really want to teach my children and praying about how to impart these things to my kids. It turns out that kids aren’t born knowing everything I want them to know 😉