The next day

After a long run of challenging parenting days that can really wipe you out, the sun came out. Isn’t it nice when the sun comes out? To all those sweet friends who commented on my blog and FB, just wanted to thank you so much. I collected all your great tips and advice, and printed them out. They are in my contentment basket, and I read them often.

Have you seen that many times when the rough times hit, it’s really just you being taught by the spirit how to be a better parent? It’s usually not so much about your sweet kids being brats, but about how you need to listen better, breathe more, and take a step back. I’m sure you’ve witnessed this in your mothering days. I sure have. I’m grateful for the lessons.

I want to share something neat I heard in my church class on Sunday. A very humble mother spoke to us about parenting, to which I thought ‘Sweet! Need all the help I can get.’. She taught us the importance of respecting our children’s agency, and to listen to them better.

She spoke of attending a mother/daughter thing in Utah, and the keynote speaker was Elizabeth Smart. I was listening before, but now I was supremely listening, as everyone else in the room. Seriously, you could hear a pin drop as she spoke. (For those who don’t know, Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped years ago in Utah, and 9 months later returned to her family.)

I will do my best to paraphrase, so here we go. Elizabeth was held hostage by her kidnapper, and had horrible things done to her. As the man forced himself upon her, she thought to herself ‘ No one will want me now. This is the worst’, and such. She had the spirit touch her heart and felt the love of her Heavenly Father during that time. She also recalled a conversation she had with her mother. She remembered her mother telling her how much she loved her. She remembered how much her parents loved her, and with that memory, vowed to do whatever it took to get back to her family. The speaker finished her talk with the important reminder of ‘Are we telling our children that we love them dearly? Are we listening to them?’. Whew! So good.

With that, and all of your kind words, I am trying again this week to love my children, and to listen to them better. One day at a time, or like our most favorite movie at the moment, ‘one game at a time’.

In other news, Kevin got bounced a little too hard on a big trampoline, and landed on his arm. He broke it very small, above the elbow, and only has two more weeks in a cast. He has been such a trooper, and has kept a smile on his face. We were all at the hospital, and I watched my boys. Kevin was darling, answering all the nurses questions. Ethan was curious about all the machines and lights, asking the nurses tons of questions, and talking with them. I watched, fell in love with my kids again, and thought ‘They really are good kids.’ It was tender.

May you all have a beautiful week:)