Thursday, August 30, 2012

I am doing some things right...

Yesterday in my Mommy melt-down post, I pretty much bashed myself as a parent.  It was just that kind of day.  I felt "unglued" from the time my feet hit the floor. But today I want to take a different approach.  I'm a good mom.  I believe that.  I do think that "good moms" always think there are things that we should be doing better.  That's what makes us good moms.  Bad moms don't care how they're doing things.  Right?
Well, here are some things I think we are doing well (or things that show we are doing well).  First of all, I'm pretty "hard" on our children.  Hard is in quotations because I don't think it's that bad, but I do require some sort of responsibility and accountability on their part.  They are little bitty people.... that grow up (very quickly) into grown up people.  And those grown up people will be expected to live in society and interact with people and take care of themselves.  Therefore, I want to raise little ladies that are prepared for that.  I want my children to have good manners and to be thoughtful. Which they are (with the exception of the gas that Julianne passed in church last night... please excuse her... if you were close to us, she did say it wasn't funny... but it was).  My children are thoughtful.  I wish I could record their prayers at night.  They remember to pray for people that I don't even think about again.  We pray for their teachers and their friends, anyone that wasn't at school and some that were there but were acting mean, we pray for friends that are sick and for Mr. Chuck (our minister), we pray for our Great Grandmothers and all of our extended family.  We are doing a good job.  Our children know the most important skill they will ever learn.  To talk to God.
Tuesday while we were meeting a friend for lunch, we heard a fire truck.  Lucy's first reaction was, "Mommy, are we going to pray?"  We did.  And we do every time we hear a fire truck or ambulance. And I'm thankful they want to.  They are learning to be thoughtful and to understand (as much as they can) the feelings of others and how scared they must be if they needed to call 911.
I think we are doing a good job because most people enjoy being around our children.  We've all been around the kid(s) that drive us nuts.  I don't want my children to be that way.  Let me be clear.  My children are normal children.  They can be clingy and annoying.... but overall, they are great kids.  And most people enjoy spending (limited amounts of) time with them.  :)
I don't like for my children to run around in restaurants or stare over the booth at people.  I've been known to say, "They don't think you're as cute as I do."  Is that mean?  I don't think so... it's true.  I think my children are beautiful and hilarious and the best kids on the planet.  But I do realize that other people don't think they're as cute as I do.  You know how I know that???  Because I don't think other people's kids are all that cute.  I just don't.  I enjoy (a tiny bit) a cute story every now and then, but 99.999% of the time, I don't really think the story is anywhere near as cute as anything my kids do.  And that's normal, I think.
We demand respect.  I expect to hear yes ma'am and no ma'am, yes sir and no sir from my children.  We live in the south.  That's what we do.  They are learning (through trial and error, sometimes) the things they can and can't say to us.  Sometimes the line between friend/parent is crossed and we have to remind them that they need to watch their tone.  But they're learning.  And we make it clear when the line has been crossed.
I'm very thankful for my children.  And their daddy that holds the same standard of discipline that I do. I don't know what I would do if Jason and I didn't agree on parenting.  I can't imagine how difficult that would be to have a very strict parent and one that just lets everything go.  We are on the same page most of the time.... at least when he can keep a straight face... hehe.
Well, it's almost time for the troops to get up for school, but I just had to give myself a little pat on the back...  I think I'm a pretty good mama... and I have bad days... just like all the other good mamas.  But I'm trying.  I'm doing my best to raise good kids into great adults.  I pray every day I don't mess them up too badly. :)
Have a great day!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A-MEN!!!

Unknown said...

You have a lot to be thankful for, a loving family, a husband that works with you on a common goal, that your not a single mom facing all of the responsibility by yourself or that you don't have a special needs child that would require so much more of your time and patience. All parents second guess themselves sometimes; but none of us can be perfect as a parent. Just keep taking it a day at a time and focus on God's word and his teachings. Your writings are interesting.