Having had my first two children very close together provided me a lot of challenges. Not being the most patient mom around combined with a quick temper resulted in a home with a lot of yelling and crying, by all family members. As the years have gone by and the children have learned better to reason, I too have learned more patience and calmness in dealing with them. Things got a little crazy with a sick baby last year, but I do have to sit back and give myself some credit that I have grown significantly in the area of parenting. I still have a long way to go, but I do believe, with help, I will continue to be a better Mom.
One day at church several years ago we were sitting in a lesson when a lady, whose children are all grown and married, mentioned that she had struggled with her anger as a young Mom. She said we are not doomed to stay that way, we simply need to go to our peers and ask them how they handle situations. Seek out someone you admire and get advice. That was almost too easy.
I thought a lot about the Mom's I see that instead of yelling at their kids, quietly take them aside and discuss an issue at hand. I thought of the Mom's that truly smiled at their children and praised them for even the tiny accomplishments the children would boast about. I thought about the Mom's that took the time to teach their children life lessons, such as how to be independent, or self sufficient, instead of doing it for them.
I have a lot of Mom's that I want to be like. I am blessed that I can call many of them and ask them a very broad and general question and they take it upon themselves to mull it over in their minds and get back to me with amazing advice. It might not always work for my family, but the fact I have people who take the time to give me feedback on how to raise my precious children is simply priceless.
