Motherhood.....Today's Thoughts

Does it sometimes puzzle you to see the broad spectrum of characteristics and behaviors children have? How they can go from being the sweetest beings on earth to something resembling a heathen in just minutes? ( I know that is a strong word, but really....it fits sometimes, right?) Let me share some examples from my week.....

Sunday evening -- I'm reading scriptures with my girls when Mallory picks up a card with a picture of Jesus on it, which we use as a bookmark, and says, "My Jesus." Already sounds sweet, right? Hold on -- Bethany says, "No, Mallory, He's not just YOUR Jesus. He is everybody's Jesus. He loves us all, and He died so that we might live. (Seriously, she said it just like that.) He lived and died for us. He sacrificed. So, He is your Jesus, and my Jesus, and everybody's Jesus." I just kind of stopped reading and looked at her and listened to my sweet girl teach her 2 yr. old sister.

Monday evening ----We take a walk to the park up the street for our FHE activity which the girls have been wanting to do all day, and B insisted on playing soccer and basketball, so we took the balls along with us. Within minutes she is complaining about the way we play with her and crying when things don't go exactly as she wants them to. Let's just say that I watched my six year old have a 2 year old tantrum in the middle of that neighborhood park ...the likes of which I've never seen from her. Not as a 2,3,4 or 5 yr old. WHAT?! The whole time, I'm like "if somebody sees us spank her to snap her out of this, we'll get reported." She screamed, ran away from me, refused to go home, ran some more, cried, yelled at us that we are "so mean" and that she didn't care if she got spanked at home, or lost park privileges or anything else. Brad stepped in before I totally lost it, and I started walking home with Mallory. It's good that I had some time to cool. Eventually, we got her disciplined, punishments were handed out - some of which last all of this week and longer, and she went straight to bed. AAAHHH!

Tuesday ---- B has no TV this week, so she had to figure out ways to entertain herself all day without that. She pleasantly surprised me by starting to write a story, playing peacefully and sweetly (most of the time) with M for just about the entire day. Good day.

Wednesday ---- The kiddos are playing Tball in the yard when B swings the bat as hard as she can (softish bat, but not too soft) when M is standing right in front of her, smacking little M in the head and face. M starts crying loudly, which she only does when it really hurts. What does B say? "She should have gotten out of my way when I was swinging." Really?! I lectured her about how her first response should have been "I'm sorry." Or, "are you ok, Mallory?", or even, "oops". To her credit, she did realize the error of her ways and hugged her sister and said sorry.

So, today I contemplate the complexity of children and that this is my challenge as a mother for many years to come.....to keep on teaching, develop better patience, teach, forgive (which isn't too tough when you love them so much - might not feel that easy when they become teens, though), learn humility in the times when I'm in the wrong and say "I'm sorry" to my children, better model what I want them to be and do, and in all of this....teach some more!!! I learn so much from trying to understand my kids, and I'm so grateful to be able to be a full-time mom/wife/household manager/etc.

That said, I mowed the grass last night just to get a break from my "normal" role, and let Brad handle it all for a little while. :)

(This was the view under the table where I sat and watched their Grandpa's "show" a few weeks ago. They love each other......almost all of the time. :)