In every single one of these situations we have a choice. How are you going to respond? I know that I want to CHOOSE to be positive, I want to CHOOSE to show love and kindness and in the really yucky situations that are out of my control I want to CHOOSE to overcome.
As mums, every minute of our day presents us with a choice. When your child asks for the 20th time in the day for a cuddle, a drink, something to eat, what to play with, when is daddy coming home, what are we doing next.... each, and I mean EACH and every single time give yourself the space to CHOOSE to respond in the way in which you want to be defined as a mum.
Too often in my choices, I am too quick to respond, allowing ugliness out of my mouth, not necessarily in my words, but in my tone. I am constantly trying to teach my kids about kindness and love to and for all people... do my actions teach them this when I make those quick CHOICES?
Each day, I want to choose to be a mum whose actions are teaching her children louder than her words. Each day, I need to recommit to that, give myself the two seconds space before my response.
Great post Sarah - I agree with you. Regardless of whether you are stay at home parents, or you work and your child goes to care, grandmas etc, it is a committment that you made when falling pregnant (in my opinion) - you have to constantly work at it (sure, some days are very hard and you just can't be bothered so to speak), however you have the responsibility (and not just the mother, the father too) to set good examples and teach your child the right from wrong, whether it is manners or something else.
ReplyDeleteLook up the meaning discipline in the dictionary and it says something such as "to teach and direct or to guide" - this is a vast difference to what many people see as discipline. We have to discipline our selves to be good, positive role models in whatever way we can!
(Sorry to waffle - I am quite passionate about this particular subject!)
Jo
xx - Thanks again - was a good read.
I have been trying to change some of my ways recently about the way I choose to react. I have found using positive self talk when situations start to get messy, has really helped me make a better choice about how I choose to interact with the kids.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Today my reactions and my words were loud and ugly and my kids I am sure had their feelings bruised. Yes I can move one, so can Hubby and the little blueberries, but how do I get over the guilt and find some positivity in an ugly day?
ReplyDelete