My kids are amazing. Not to brag but I'm totally bragging. They are smart, funny and constantly surprise me with their world view. Sweet Pea very earnestly told me yesterday that she hates traffic. "It's pointless, you have to wait for someone else who is stopped for no reason and then you have to stop for no reason!" Yeah, she's five. And she didn't get that from me, my thoughts on traffic are usually a few cuss words and banging on the steering wheel.
So why don't I hang out with them more? I watch a lot of netflix. My husband calls them my "Stories." And I get frustrated when the girls interrupt or talk too loud during one of my stories. And then I huff about not hearing and now I missed something super vital to the plot. Something vital like, a girl is acting stupid over a guy and since everyone on the show refuses to communicate in any kind of sane way wacky hijinx ensue. Yeah, real vital.
I've started realizing that I am running out of time. They are getting older and wiser. That window of time where they think I am the best person in the whole world who can do no wrong is rapidly shrinking. They will be teenagers soon and they won't want to have anything to do with me. I have to remind myself that television shows and long books will still be there later. But my babies won't.
If I put them second too many times, soon they will stop coming to me. Mommy isn't interested so why bother. I am turning off the TV and I am listening to my children. I will be more upset that I have missed something vital from them then any fake drama.
And hey, when they are tweens and are highly embarrassed and want nothing to do with me. I can comfort myself with netflix then. But I will always be there to put the remote down and listen. To focus on them when they need me. But that has to start now.
What is your biggest struggle as a parent?
That is. Learning to say yes more and no less. We need to be there for them and soak them all in while we can.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this reminder.