Wow...it's been a long time....life....this crazy pace....does it ever slow down? The answer is NO. Time will go at the same speed no matter what we do. The only thing we can do is learn to enjoy the time we have. Each minute has 60 seconds, each hour has 60 minutes, each day has 24 hours, each week has 7 days, each month has 28-31 days, and each year has 12 months. It's the same for every single person on this Earth.
So, these are my thoughts for today...
I had the PRIVILEGE, not task, but PRIVILEGE, of tucking my boys in tonight. One on each side of my king size bed. Each of them holding one of my hands. As I lay there waiting for them to fall asleep, I was thanking Jesus for the opportunity to be their Mama. Not just to be their Mama....but to BE there, in the moment, enjoying the wonderful children God has graced me with.
It's not always like this. No....there are times when I say jokingly to people, "Do you want two boys???" There are times they drive me crazy, CRAZY, hair-raising, screaming, mad, stomping around, flat-out CRAZY. Did I say CRAZY????? :)
However, I have tucked them in like this since they were babies. Always laying there until they fall asleep. I want the last thing they remember before they drift off to dream land to be that I am always there for them.
Okay, so back to the original thought...There are nights when this process drives me crazy (can you say crazy too many times in a blog??? Probably...but I just want you to know I am human and not think I am some kind of super-duper, oh my kids are so amazing, mom). There are nights when I lay there thinking of all the stuff I have to do, frustrated because they are either giggling with each other, talking, or flopping around like a fish out of water. But not tonight. Tonight was different. God gave me a glimpse of time.
I lay there thinking of children growing. My nephew...He is now 16...a growing young man. His voice is changing, his priorities changing (girls, trucks....etc). I remember him being born. We were absolutely ga-ga over him. And now look, a young man, a junior in high school already. My niece Lauren - soon to be a teenager (YIKES). A cheerleader...interested in clothes and make-up...once a chubby baby with rolls on her fatty little legs. And then my thoughts turn to my Nicholas. Remembering his reddish fuzzy hair, and now admiring his strawberry blond hair. Realizing that he will be going to first grade this year....turning 7. Then Lucas...my stubborn child...the one set to give me gray hair much faster than I want. The baby who cried for over 2 1/2 hours while I tried so hard to sleep train him, and now the 3 year old child who falls asleep easily. Time...There it goes again....marching on. And then the final thoughts came to me.....
DON'T, just don't.
1- If you are the type of parent who listens to the world tell you that you must sleep train your child, that you must not put them in your bed, they will have all sorts of sleep problems.......Don't....just don't listen to the world. You sleep with your child if you want to, you hold them tight....you watch them breathe....you giggle and listen to them lightly snore....you stroke their hair....you LIVE in that very moment....Don't let the world tell you it's wrong....just don't....because before you know it, they will be like my nephew...age 16...not needing me to tuck them in. Not wanting to sleep in my bed. Don't...just don't let the world tell you what feels SO right is wrong, and is going to ruin your kid...it's not....
2- If you are the type of parent that gives your kid doritos for breakfast...worried that quite possibly you are the worst parent in the world because you are setting your kids up for failure in the eating department. You are giving them childhood obesity. Shoot, they will possibly wind up with diabetes in a couple years due to letting them have sno-cones for supper. Don't...just don't be so hard on yourself. You do the best you can in the given situation. Sometimes sharing a sno-cone is more important that getting home and having a battle over dinner.
3- Meltdowns....don't you just want to have one yourself sometimes? I mean really...wouldn't it be so relieving to lie down on the floor, kick and scream, maybe throw some stuff. Do this until you feel better...and then just get up and go about your day like nothing happened. Don't give in...just don't. Stand your ground. They happen. They will outgrown them (for the most part :)) This is teaching them self-control. It is teaching them the world doesn't revolve around them...and that's a pretty important one. Don't give in to shut them up....just don't...
4- Last but not least....If you are the parent who judges me or any other mother for doing any of the things listed above, or a huge list of other parenting concerns...DON'T, JUST DON'T. This job is hard enough without a MILLION critics. The millions of internet articles that suggest, "the top ten things you should teach your child," "seven ways to raise a gracious child," "Ten ways to discipline your child..." Blah blah blah.... YOU SEE WHY WE ARE STRESSED???? SO, in the future...if you see my child melting down in the grocery store...don't judge...smile...say you've been there...say Good job Mama, say keep it up girl....Don't be the person who tempts me to give in so I don't disturb you at dinner, while shopping, or while in church. And when we talk about nighttime follies, don't be the person who quickly pipes up that your child has NEVER slept with you and has slept in his own bed since he was 1 month old. And I will try as well not to be the person who judges back and says, "oh, how sad that you have missed out on that snuggle time every night." It's hard. It goes both ways. I am human, you are human....but we are ALL in this world together. We all have 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 28-31 days in a month, and 12 months in a year. SO let's use this time productively...
caring...loving...supporting...helping...listening...sharing....
Don't, just don't....let this time slip away from you without enjoying it,and thanking God for all your blessings...
"Judge not, that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1 ESV
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 NIV
And finally,
"This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you." John 15:12 NLT
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