Kids DON'T come with instruction manuals. Shoot.



Growing up, I didn't think that I would ever have kids.  My sister and I never grew up around other little kids and so they just became somewhat....foreign.  I always thought that people who just LOOOOVED KIDS were a little strange.  I couldn't relate to their gentle, loving and patient way with children.  In many ways, I still can't. 



Well, it turns out that my and God's plans didn't line up and their names are Bean and Ida.  I like his plan and I love my kids dearly but I seriously had NO idea what I was doing when my first was born.  I quickly found out that raising kids is tough and just when I think it's getting easier I find out I was wrong.  Raising children is the most amazing thing that any one of us has been given the privileged of doing, but also the most difficult. 



I frequently find myself thinking about whether or not I am doing things right.  Hoping I don't screw them up with all of the mistakes I make.  When Bean was born I found myself reading every parenting book, blog and magazine there was out there, thinking that if I just educated myself I could figure this whole thing out.  Ha!  Although I believe that educating ourselves is good, it can also be done in excess, causing unnecessary panic and conflicting information.  Parenting is hard enough as it is!



So much of the information out there these days tells you that in order to be a good parent you must:

Never lose your patience with your child.

Read to them at least 15 minutes a day.

Do LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of crafts with your kids.  Make sure they are using all of their different motor skills or they may end up a little...under the curve.

Praise them for everything they do, not matter how insignificant it may seem.  Make sure you clap...A LOT and with a big huge smile on your face.

If your child wants to play, you must drop everything that you are doing and play with them.  After all, they are only little once!

A messy house=happy kids!  The laundry can wait.

The proper consequence(don't use the word punishment) for EVERYTHING is a time out.

Always feed your child something 15 times before you stop trying.  Research shows that is how long it takes for them to decide if they like something or not.



Here is my list:

I lose patience with my kids AT LEAST once every day.

I am really good at the reading one.  So score one for me.

Craft time?  Hey kids, let's go outside and play in the dirt instead!

I don't find it necessary to super duper excitedly praise my children for doing things that are expected of them.  I save it for the big stuff.

I don't drop everything to play with the kids.  If I'm in the middle of something, they need to learn to wait.  And sometimes I don't want to play!!  I like spending time with my kids, but they don't need to be constantly entertained. 

A messy house=a seriously mentally fragile mother!  I can deal with a little mess, but let's be realistic here.  My kids need to learn to keep a tidy home too.

Time outs don't work with every kid.  Some kids need a spankin'.  Some don't.  Some need extra chores.  Some don't.  Some need all their toys taken away.  Some don't.  And then there are some that need to take 10 laps around the house!

Eat what your Mama made ya!!

I'm sure you are all thinking about what your own lists would say.

I am not the perfect parent.  There are certain days I feel like I should win the parent of the year award and other days when I hope my kids will somehow forget how I behaved that day. 

Our children need to know that we are not perfect.  We ALL have personality flaws.  Be repentant and honest with them when you screw up.  Apologize.  Tell them that your behavior in that situation wasn't okay.  Pray with them before bed about a situation that happened during the day that you're not proud of.  God has used my kids more than any other person in my life to make changes in myself that need to be made.  Make no mistake about it, they are part of His plan for us.  He doesn't expect we do it all right, but He wants us to ask for help.  I need all the help I can get.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6