Choosing to Persevere Through the Temptation to Let the Kids Win
Don’t we use our kids a lot of times as our excuses to get out of things? Or just leave when things seem to be getting rough with them?
Well during out bible was a perfect example, where all of us moms could of ALL ‘thrown in the towel’ and just stopped our bible study after having to help the sitter with our kids. Or we choose to just keep going and that the kids needed to realize that they will be ok because they are in the same house as us and that they need to obey and listen to what the babysitter was telling them. It went from needing food, to kids picking on one another, to another taking her poopy diaper off and running around and all we could do was just laugh. Not only did it feel like a three ring circus, I’m sure it looked like one too from the babysitter’s perspective. And the unfortunate part was, this was a new sitter filling in for our regular one, so it is hard to explain that the kids are not like this usually! And naturally, isn’t that how it always happens, the newest sitter always sees the worst of your kid(s). We even put on a movie for the kids, which they ALL beg for TV and movies when they are home individually, but of course won’t sit still for it when it is on when they are all together.
Sometimes being in the same house while there is a sitter watching the kids is the worst idea because the kids know you are there and they act worse than if you were just gone! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to snap a photo of the all the fun being had(or else we would of had the kids see us and the cycle would start over).
I have this issue a lot at home when I get up early and tried to get some reading done before out girl woke up, and of course she woke up right when I started reading, put off reading again. So I decided to read during ‘nap time,’ which turned out to be one of our many recent no napping days and I’m truly terrified for the day to come when naps stop, but that is besides the point. The POINT is, during this time of no napping I sad down in our living room and took that time to myself and read through my bible study, while watching the craziness happen in our daughters bedroom on the baby monitor; from climbing over the side of her toddler bed onto the dresser to unloading her clothes in her dressers. Sometimes after nap time it looks like a hurricane went through her room. We are working on trying to have her read or play with her magnatiles, but we are working on that. I could of gone up and just got her out of her room and done something with her, but I decided that I NEEDED the time alone to read our bible study and she also needs to learn that she needs to have quiet time and entertain herself. I will bring books or activities out for her to do while I get some reading or working in and she gets some time to learn to do the same. And hopefully someday she will realize the benefits of that time.
Taking time for us mommas to chat, talk life, talk motherhood and do our study is important to us, even though we are listening to the some what chaos below is worth it. We need to have our cup full in order to be the best mother, wife and friend that we can be.
What are some things that you will do with your kid(s) when you are trying to have some time to get things done?
