Wednesday, March 1, 2017

The mom who became all talk and little to no action...a crack down was inevitable.


*this post is mainly written about my youngest children*


Days were going a little something like this...
Good Morning.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Waaaaaaaakkkkkke Uuuuuup!
WAKE UP! That's it. Tonight you are going to bed early.

Two hours to get clothes on your body, toast a bagel and make your bed?
That's it! Tomorrow I'm setting a timer and if you don't finish I'm going to punish you.

Your room isn't clean? ...it's okay, go outside, but you have to finish before bed.
It's bedtime and you haven't finished your room?
That's it! Tomorrow you will clean this mess.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow.
Empty threats and yelling is what I've turned into.

When did I let this happen? When did I lose control?

I had become the mom of "all talk and little {to no} action".
I knew it. The kids knew it. Jeff may have mentioned it to me. {wink}
I was frustrated. The respect level for mother was dropping.
Something had to give, and it was up to me.




If Jeff tells the kids to do something, they do it! First time. No arguments.
Why? ...because he sticks to his word and our offspring know he means business.

He tells them all the time to respect their mom...but if I'm not standing firm,
backing my own words, those advantage takers will walk all over my soft little heart.

I realized this last week. That is when the crack down occurred.

It was late morning, the house was a mess and we hadn't even started school yet!

I became angry...I was mad at the kids,
but I was also mad at myself for letting things get so out of hand.

I called them all together for a lecture to talk.
I made lists, explained the rules, told them what I expected.
That day things were accomplished.

However, this had become the pattern....
Mom gets angry.
Mom yells.
Kids hurry and get things accomplished.

Next day things go back to usual...until....

Mom gets angry again.
Mom yells again.
Kids hurry and get things accomplished again...etc.

You get the point!
It was a cycle and I wanted out!

I made the decision last week to stick to the words that come out of my mouth.
Stick to those lists and schedules I take the time to write!

The threats would be empty NO more!
There was a new mom in town.




Let me tell you what sealed the deal.

One of my children said to another child....

"Hey, you know how mom always yells and doesn't always do what
she says with punishing us and stuff? This week she has. She is actually doing it."

My eyes were as WIIIIIIIDE as saucers!!!
Ouch. Ouch!

If I ever needed inspiration, that was it.






This world is filled with undisciplined children taking advantage of their parents.
They grow into unruly teens and entitled young adults.

I don't want that for my children.
I want them to be respectful.
I want them to be able to handle having a boss and following
through with a job given to them.

All of this needs to start in the home.
It's our responsibility as parents to teach our children these character qualities.
It's a tough job.

One that requires lots of prayer, grace and a sense of humor.
We need to encourage one another in this blessed and wonderful journey!
...because we all need it!

XxOo

2 comments:

  1. Hello! I just wanted to tell you that I look forward to reading your blog posts every week. I feel I can relate to most everything you post! I too am a mother of a large family and we do school at home as well. I see lots of similarities in our personalities, so you make me laugh a lot! I wanted to take the opportunity to encourage you in this particular topic of this post, because after 20 years of raising children(our youngest is 5), I am so familiar with this! Thank the LORD we have a savior in JESUS CHRIST that continues to open our eyes to see ourselves,convicts us,then graciously gives us the moments to make it right.He knows our hearts as mothers that deeply love our children and how merciful and pitiful we are toward them as he is toward us.But at the same time we want to raise them to "work as if we are working for the LORD".It does start in the home and what an incredible gift and tough responsibility and high calling it is. Thankfully, God will let these moments of failure be used as lessons to our children that no matter how old we get, no matter the season, we all need the Savior to train us even as we ourselves are training others."And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
    Thank you for your blog! I enjoy it!
    April

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  2. Wow -I could've written that! Thank-you -this is the inspiration I need!
    Anne Weaver

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