Giving New Meaning to Parenting

I’m running late today, and that’s okay with me. After a week that was, well let’s just say unpleasant, I think it’s safe to say that we’re having a recovery period. Stress levels for the adults have been through the roof and unfortunately that translated to being too busy and too short with the kids. Not good, and the guilt just makes the stress levels higher.

Ending the week was a rather spectacular blowout between me and a friend, and I compounded the issue by stomping round the house and growling at the children. To their credit, they were patient and cautious while I worked out my issues. Thanks boys.

Sunday afternoon I started to snap at The Mercenary (age 11) and Hubby stopped me mid-sentence. He was right, of course. I was letting my temper get the best of me too easily.

So. Time to start over. Again.

Hubby and I are in the process of identifying causes of stress and determining whether they can be eliminated or not. The cutbacks I mentioned last week are already helping, if only in that they give me the illusion of control over something (even if it’s just the grocery budget).

I apologized to the boys Friday morning for my behavior, and also for the stressed environment we’ve all been in lately. On top of that, I’m slowing down and letting go. Jobs that I’ve agreed to in life that just plain suck the life out of me are on the chopping block. Avoiding the news is helpful too although I don’t recommend that on the weekend that we change the clocks. It can result in arriving at church an hour early. Ahem.

Just knowing that relief is on the horizon has already brought me relief. I’m feeling more peaceful, which means I’m able to deal with challenges more gracefully. One of the terrible things about this is how the boys have started to reflect my temper with anger of their own. Ouch. At least it’s an opportunity to demonstrate the need to be graceful with each other.

For my part I’m trying to complain less if the boys miss a chore, and either ask nicely and without any kind of accusing tone or do them a favor and take care of it myself. I’m also working on doing things that are fun; I’ve gotten too far away from that. It’s sad how when you’re stressed you can actually keep yourself in that state by refusing to relax and do something that brings a smile.

So, I’m running late today. Rather than stress about getting my post up exactly on time I sat down and enjoyed a peaceful lunch with my boys, and then I finished their school by reading some fun books together.

I guess I’m living my goal of being an example for the boys. Last week I was the example of what not to do. Hopefully I can be the example of what TO do going forward.

by AmyL

Photo graciously provided by bullfrogphoto, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved