I was reading my scriptures last night. Starting from the beginning yet again. As I read the first verse of 1 Nephi Chapter 1 I had a moment…
Yesterday was a particularly difficult day for me. Felicity decided it would be a great idea for her to get up at 6:00. She got up, woke Jaicie up and they refused to go back to bed. They were noisy and of course, kept me (and surely Justin too) awake. I went in a couple of times asking them to go back to bed, and told them that when the clock said 7:00 (seven zero zero) they would be okay to get out of bed. So they laid in their beds and talked until the clock said 7:00. It didn’t help with my sleeping much, but at least they stayed in bed with the light off!
So I got woken up 45 minutes earlier than I would have been getting up. Bad start off to the day. I went to the doctor (everything’s good) while Felicity was over visiting friends at Tiffany’s house. Then I spent a couple of hours working on various things at home. I made up a shopping list and a dinner menu and went to pick up Felicity at 11:45…We needed to go shopping at Wal-Mart and so we stopped on the way home.
Unfortunately, Felicity wouldn’t listen and screamed the majority of the time we spent in the Wal-Mart. Needless to say, I was irate by the time I got the screaming child home. I was in one of those “we don’t hit our children, We don’t hit our children” stages. The one where you constantly remind yourself why you are not an abusive parent. I was angry, I was upset and I left her in her room to scream herself to sleep. By the time she did so, it was 1:30. I had to get her up at 2:30 to pick up Jaicie from school and an hour nap is usually not enough for her…
The day went on and between fighting children and cleaning the house and folding laundry and cooking dinner I had a day that I don’t ever want to repeat! By the end of the day I was feeling depressed because I felt like I was a horrible parent. My patience had run thin and I was so angry with myself and with everything that happened. As I opened the scriptures last night getting ready for bed I read: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…”
So my question is, what makes a goodly parent? What can I do as a parent to continually improve my parenting? And will my children one day say that they were born of goodly parents?
I was born of goodly parents. I am happy that I can say that. My only hope is that one day, as my children look back in the future will they see me as a good mother—Despite the many days I seem to have like today?
I think is all for my ramblings for today. Just thought I would share!
Okay, so I started this on Friday, and I ended up finishing it on Saturday…But Thursday was my bad day!
3 comments:
You are a great mom because you love and care for them- you just want the best for your kids. Definitely goodly parent qualities. Doesn't help on those days that it seems like another force has taken over, but you can only control how you react to the situation. I have to remind myself everyday!
Speaking from no experience in the parenting world, I think you probably experienced what most parents have or will experience, don't get down because you were frustrated! I'm sure you are a great mom and I'm sure your children will say that someday too.
As a side note, we often read that verse you quoted with an incorrect understanding of the word "goodly". To us, it means good. But in the context it is used in, "goodly" back then meant wealthy. So, though we know that Nephi loved and cherished his parents and would call them good, he is actually talking about how they were established and wealthy, which sets up nicely for the rest of the story and the sacrifices they would end up making along the way to fulfill the will of God.
I have days like this all the time. I tend to think that as long as there are still more good days than bad days we are doing okay. I often say that my children are the toughest challenges I face in this life and the only ones I would never give up. As mothers we see our children at their best and at their worst. As long as we can control ourselves and deal with the tough times in a loving way (and yes sometimes that loving way means leaving them in their room to cry it out) we will be all the better for it and so will our children. Letting your child have a temper tantrum in her room does not make you a bad mother. It is one way of teaching that tantrums will not get them their way. Don't be down on yourself. I like what Lindsey said, you can only control how you react to the situation, it is so true.
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