Welcome Peabodies.
I read an article to day that gave me a HUGE parental AHA! moment.
Let me start this blog post by giving you a little bit of context..
I often get told, and I mean often, several times a day actually - that my children are really well behaved.
Yes! Thinks me - Then I give myself and the Husbeast a little pat on the back.
A mental high five.
We have high expectations, of and for, our girls and they meet them the majority of the time. They are good girls.
The very next thought however that comes into my head after the pat on the back is - they are good because I yell at them and nag them all the time.
I am on their case
All. the. time.
In fact sometimes it keeps me up at night that I nag them too much.
I have been accused of being a tough mamma. “You're hard on your kids” I've been told by both family and friends
And I wear that badge with pride. Don't get me wrong, I'm no 'Tiger Mom'. I'm more of a 'Lynx Mum'. Smaller than a tiger but still a wild animal - no domesticated puss here!
But I do know I yell too much.
And I know I get better results when I don't yell.
So if the girls behave even better when I'm not yelling - why do I yell?
I don't know why.
I couldn't tell you.
One of my resolutions for 2015 is to yell less at the kids and to slow down and enjoy their childhood more.
Then the other day this blog post from Hands Free Mama came across my facebook timeline and I took the time to read it.
You too should take the time to read it.
I am my response.
Those words really resonated with me.
You are your response.
I've read many other parenting-esque articles like this with a similar message and always I've thought " yeah yeah I yell at my kids too much ......I know....."
I'm not sure why these particular words stuck a chord, but strummed they did!
I am my response.
I'm thinking of getting that tattooed somewhere………
Perhaps I'll just make a poster!
Lately over the last 2 years or so I've been getting grumpy at the the kids and and the Husbeast for no good reason, I won't say no reason because there's always a reason
(lets face it ladies.....)
But lately I've been asking myself 'is it worth getting grumpy?'
So what if the bin is full again. I'll just take it out.
So what if it takes an extra 5 minutes to put on the girls shoes?
I'll enjoy that extra 5 minutes with my kids.
So what?
So what?
So what?
Does it all matter at the end of the day?
Once the end of the day approaches and the girls are in bed I certainly don't think - 'gee whizz I wish Miss L would get in the car quicker'
No.
Often once the girls are in bed my thoughts are of regret.
Regret that I hurried her because of my own disorganisation.
Regret that I yelled because she stopped to look at ….. the sky, that dog, that toy, that snail.
Regret.
Regret.
All of my own doing. All from my own pressure.
so....
Lighter and Brighter.
I am my response.
Two mantras for me for 2015.
I'll keep you updated though the year with how I am going.
Are you a yeller?
Are you a Tiger Mom?
I’d love to hear your parenting Aha! moments Peabodies! Share them below.
Peas out.
Jane.
