My 3 boys (I'm counting the husband) are everything to me. I love them, I even LIKE them. I love spending time with them. I have found that I sometimes am a little sad when Winter, Spring, or Summer break is over and they have to go back to school.
My kids don't take the bus to school, I drive them. My oldest had some anxiety issues in 4th grade, and the only way I could get him to school was to drive him. So even after he overcame his anxiety, I still drove them, because it put less stress on both of them, and honestly, not having to get up earlier and stand out in the rain waiting for a bus is ok with me. I like to sleep, so I will find a way to savor an extra five minutes.
I used to walk them into class, but since they've gotten older, I walk my youngest, Elijah, into the school and he leaves with his class, while my oldest, Ethan, is fine with me dropping him off at the door. When Elijah is leaving, he always gives me one last wave before going down the hallway, and we hold up the numbers 1-4-3 (I love you) before I leave, and he usually gives me a couple kisses goodbye. When I drop Ethan off, I always wait and watch til he is in the building, and he knows that I do. He doesn't look back and wave like Elijah does, but he knows that I'm there watching and praying over his day.
Why am I writing this? Too much caffeine? Not likely. To exalt myself? Hardly! My kids don't have cell phones, cause they are usually with me, or they are somewhere that they can get a hold of me. I don't let them watch movies that are rated R, and if they are PG-13 (or and 80's PG film), I prefer to watch it first before I subject them to it. I don't let them have soda very often. I don't let them play games that are rated M. I have all their passwords for their emails and facebook account, and the passwords that they have on their tablets. I monitor the history on their tablets and on our computer. I limit their game time. I watch shows that they watch (LOVE Spongebob). This is just my families convictions. These are things that we decided for OUR family. I'm not writing this looking for applause (if you want to, you can), or for critiquing, or to tell everyone they need to follow this same set of rules. Heck, I didn't even have these same set of rules growing up (sorry for the strong use of "heck", just trying to emphasize a point). I wanted to write this to say, "This is me".
I saw a little girl, about 3rd grade, walking to school by herself. Busy street, raining, and she's walking alone. I thought about getting on facebook for a "rant", and decided instead of focusing on that, focus on myself. Ranting doesn't usually do me any good (unless I'm ranting about no coffee in the house, in which case some kind hearted person usually will lend me a cup ;-). I think that in any area, a lot of times our human nature tends to want to point out external things that we think are wrong, and things that someone ELSE should change and do our perceived way. Parenting is overwhelming, hard work. Every time I think I've got this parenting thing down, I find I don't know anything. We are all doing this with our own personal set of life experiences, with our own convictions, and our own set of values. I am THAT mom. You are THAT mom (or dad, grandparent, etc). I ENCOURAGE you to be THAT. We are all doing our best, keep pressing on!
No comments:
Post a Comment