I know this is a crafting blog and I don't do this very often, but I have had this on my mind and just wanted to get it out. So here it goes, you can read if you want or just ignore it and wait for more cooking, sewing and crafting next week.
I don't let my kids watch TV... most of the time.
I don't spank... well maybe like 4 times.
I try to feed my kids right, no junk all natural... unless at a birthday, special occasion or of course Taco Tuesday dessert.
I don't give my kids drugs/medications.
I don't vaccinate.
I don't believe in cry it out.
I don't feed my kids dairy... except for that grill cheese today with the left over cheese from Taco Tuesday.
I nursed my kids as long as they wanted, some might say too long... I don't think so.
I am NOT perfect, not even close!
I do yell, I pray every morning for patients and understanding when disciplining my kids because I yell and loose my patients too often. My kids do have fits. I have been that mom in the store with the 6 year old acting completely spoiled, whining, crying over some gum that I won't buy him. I have been that mom that looks like she has it all together, so patient explaining why we are not getting the gum and understanding why he is so devastated... but that is on a good day. I have also been that mom yelling at my child that his behavior is completely inappropriate and if he doesn't cut it out, when we get home I am going to take away his favorite toy so he can be more grateful for what he has. I am that mom in the car when my children are bickering and I loose it yelling at them to just STOP instead of calmly talking to them. I have been the mom that wants to get one more thing done after nap so I ask my children if they want to watch a Wild Krats. I can also be that mom that puts my phone down my work aside and plays with my children. We all have an ideal for our families, we all have values we want to raise our kids with and we all have our own idea of health and discipline. None of us can say we have it down perfect. Some days I can say I did great today, but many days I'm saying, "Please forgive me Lord and help me tomorrow."
I am a mom struggling to make all the right choices for MY family. I pray about every choice and I research everything. I rely on my husband for most of the medical decisions because he is a doctor of Chiropractic. I do not however think I have all the answers. Not by a long shot. I do not want to make choices for anybody else's family. That would just be wrong, we are all different, we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. We all have our own circumstances and different bodies that require different decisions. We should all look at each other that way. If someone asks advice I give it, say what I do and why, but I start by saying what is right for my family might not be right for yours. We would be one big boring place if we were all the same.
Kristen-
ReplyDeleteI don't think parents will ever see eye to eye on issues, especially the hot button ones. Its our love of our kids that make us so fierce in trying to protect them. I have so much respect for you as a mom, while I hold similar views in most things, and disagree in others, we both research the decisions we make for our kids. I hate feeling like everyone else is judging me as a mother, when I know I am doing my best, and, like you always tell me, God has matched me up with my son perfectlt according to His will. I love this post...it is painfully honest, and I can relate on so many levels. Thank you for not for trying to be an example of a perfect parent, but of being an example of a woman who loves her family and tries her best to do what is right for them. It is women, moms like you who I can agree to disagree with, because we have such great love for our kids, and common ground in trying to raise them the way God wants us too. Lord, give us both patience with our kids, and the wisdom to make the right decisions for them, knowing each child you have created is different, precious, and worth all of the research to make proper decisions! ♥
Hey Kristen, you sound like me. :) Doing the best we can for OUR kids, for OUR family, and praying for lots and lots of patience! I particularly liked this bit:
ReplyDelete"I have been that mom in the store with the 6 year old acting completely spoiled, whining, crying over some gum that I won't buy him. I have been that mom that looks like she has it all together, so patient explaining why we are not getting the gum and understanding why he is so devastated... but that is on a good day. I have also been that mom yelling at my child that his behavior is completely inappropriate and if he doesn't cut it out, when we get home I am going to take away his favorite toy so he can be more grateful for what he has."
Yeah, I've been there! :) This post made me smile, because it is a good reminder that we're all in this parenting thing together and most of us have the same struggles. Thanks for writing it!