PATIENCE!!!!!
My oldest son was scheduled to have a leg lengthening surgery and was at his pre-op appointment. He was anxious, nervous, asking a ZILLION QUESTIONS, and just being a pure pain in the butt. After listening to my son and I CALMLY go back and forth, the nurse replied, “You have a lot of patience.”
My prayers had been answered, all the tests I had been given, I finally passed.
Having children early, I feel the biggest hurdle for mom and child is the lack of experience with EVERYTHING, especially rearing a child.
While I was always very mature for my age, looking back at my mommy hood journey, I wish I was more patient.
I knew I didn’t have patience and prayed for it often. Someone once told me, “you are not given patience, but opportunities to practice.” My mom would always tell me to stop worrying about things that won’t “make or break you.” A little before my mom fell ill did this click!
Everything had to be in order, what they wore, how they looked, if it matched, cleanliness blah blah blah.
While these things are still important, the bar for the standards have been dropped so low, I think it’s just a pole on the floor!
I have 2 group of kids in my home.
The 2 that are old enough to know better, do better, and to an extent provide basic care (hygiene) for themselves.
AND
The 2 that are my responsibility because they are too young to know better.
My oldest 2 have been lectured and taught about what and what not to do with their clothes and body. My SO and his mother go CRAZY when my kids leave the house with wrinkled clothes, short sleeve shirt (DEAD WINTER), unbrushed hair and teeth, mixed match socks (probably dirty), no coat (just a hoddie despite having several coats), and no hat (despite having several ). Not only do they do all of this, they give you a “WHAT?” expression on their face when questioned…Wheres’s your coat?..Did you brush your teeth?….Did you comb your hair….etc..etc, as if WE ARE CRAZY!
I just look at them and shake my head. My feathers don’t get ruffled ONE. BIT.
Unless we’re going somewhere important, I could give a RATS BEHIND what those knuckleheads look like. Anyone that knows me and who opinion matters, KNOW my kids have EVERYTHING they could possibly need, want, AND MORE to be presentable. So with the latest trends of not wearing a coat but just a hoodie going on, or wearing socks that don’t match, I don’t scream and holler at them. I simply take them somewhere COLD with their hoodie. While I have my coat, hat, scarf, gloves, and layered outfit…and take my bitter sweet time.
Or somewhere important like the doctor’s office so they’re most likely dirty mix-matched socks can be exposed! It cracks me up how they try to tuck their feet under the chair as if they’re….WAIT FOR IT…..EMBARRASSED!
My younger two I am responsible for, and unless a grandparent, or a father was in charge that day, they are always presentable. However, I know the day will come when they too will be taught subtle lessons as mentioned above. I just wonder what new subtle ways I will have come up with to teach them a lesson.
Three Leading Ladies 