As parents we expect a lot of our kids, but perhaps it isn’t our kids we are expecting a lot from. It’s us. I don’t know about you but I did not get a manual when I brought my first kid home. And it just got more complicated as we brought home more kids. I love my children, and I have taken parenting classes, read books, and I try so very hard to be perfect for them. But EVERY kid is different, and nothing can truly prepare you for it ALL.
I recently came across this blog, A Mother Far From Home. It featured an article entitled “Why Am I an Angry Mom?” I never thought of myself as an angry mom. I do have a short temper, and I have very active and busy kids. So when it gets to be too much I have noticed — I yell. I had a Dad that yelled, and I remember flinching when he was mad. His voice was so loud and he seemed so mad I thought he was mad at me. It wasn’t until I yelled when my daughter dropped something in the kitchen (cheerios people, everywhere) and saw her flinch that I realized what I had viewed as my Dad being mad at me was just him being annoyed that there was more work to do. So I took a step back. And when I saw this article I realized that I wasn’t alone in my reactions. But perhaps, with a little help, I could find a new way to react.
I’m not saying I am perfect now, and I am not saying you will be either. But I am saying it has helped me to recognize when I need to step back and react differently. I hope that it helps some of you too!
