Lessons From Your Child

I recently read the article "Memo to Mommy" in my Parents Magazine. Many of them were lessons I needed to hear and thought some of you might need to as well. These are all lessons as if your child was saying them to you.

Stop freaking out about the mess! There's always time to clean-but how often do we get to make mud pies?

Be patient. I do everything for a reason, but I don't know enough words yet to give you an explanation.

Love me, even when I'm naughty. I'll only be this age once.

Let me do it. I know you can do it faster and better, but sometimes experience is the best teacher.

Don't expect too much of me. I want to do what you ask and make you happy, but I'm still little.

Keep your promises. It's all about trust. When I'm a teenager, you'll understand why it's so important.

Don't try to reason with me when I'm having a tantrum. Trust me-I can't hear you over my own screaming.

Don't keep asking me if I've been good. Im not even sure what that means, but if I was bad I'd never admit it!

Don't let me think that you are perfect. I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes.

Set limits. I can't actually eat a whole box of cookies-I just want to see if I'd get away with it.

The ones that hit me the hardest were being patient, expecting too much, asking if they have been good, and thinking that I am perfect. I am constantly trying to work on my patience with the kids and right along with that is wanting everything done right and getting frustrated when the clothes aren't folded perfectly and put away right. Does it really matter in the great scheme of things? Why am I getting so worked up over that? They got it done and I didn't have to do it, so why am I stressed? I am also not good at admitting my mistakes. Trust me, I make plenty! I need to be more up front with them and admit when I am wrong, admit that I screwed up and say, let's start over. So, this is what I am going to be working on. This article just kind of threw it into my face today and I plan to cut these lessons out and tape them to my bathroom mirror to remind me everyday to be a better mom. I am the only mom my kids will have, and I need to be the best mom I can be. This is what I will be praying about and working on. How about you????