30 Day Mom Challenge

Days 5 through 10:
*note: I started on day 5 because it was the 5th day of the month

Day 5:  Tell yourself he's only ______ years old.  He's still a child.  Then treat him that way.


This is something I do say to myself often.  I have for years.  It is true that sometimes I feel as though I might lose my mind (shocked aren't you???) because of a specific type of behavior (and what's worse is I know child development like the back of my hand, yet I still get frustrated by certain behaviors!) I aways say what is "normal", "typical" for his/her age?  This always stops me in my tracks so to speak.  During these moments it is because he is only 4 or she is only 8 or he is only 9.  They are still learning how to be people, figuring out their place in this world.  So why get so upset about testing boundaries, about playing with a toy in a way that might break it, for picking their noses?   Isn't it my job to help guide them along? Isn't it my job to love them and respect them at every age?


So yes, he is only 4, she is only 8, and he is only 9!


Day 6:  Bake, make or buy them their favorite food.


Homemade pizza and brownies! Is this each of their favorite foods?  No, but it is a favorite amongst the three of them in which they could agree on.  (I did not want to make three different meals and treats and then have all that waste.)

Day 7:  Leave them a sweet note.


I left each of them a little note on their nightstands.  These notes are just between  us.


Day 8:  Calculate how many more weekends are left until your child graduates from high school.


If I did this correctly here are the number of weekends for each child:


J -  461
A - 514
C - 722




Day 9:  Picture yourself at your child's age.  Try to remember how you felt.


Honestly this is a tough one.  I remember little things about being a child so I focused on those memories.  Most of my memories are from junior high school and up.  Not much in the memory department before then.


But those few memories are full of emotion, feelings of wanting acceptance and love.  (not that I didn't have those things it's just that maybe I often questioned my worth).  Sad isn't it?


After thinking about that, I notice sometimes A does things that may be along the same lines.? My goal is to focus on this a bit more and give her what she needs, always.


Day 10:  Today's mom focus - Joy!


Wow, this was a tough one also.  It's hard to always feel joy and be joyful when things are not going too well.  Such as a huge fight amongst your children that for a few minutes you couldn't get a handle on.  But hey, some days are just like that.  What helps is focusing on joy.  It makes you focus on the positive.  It makes you smile more.  It makes you see things in a new light.  Maybe something that would normally be annoying is pretty funny when you look upon it with joy.  (such as baby talk coming from the mouths of an 8 and 9 year old)  Or when your oldest says to you (when you are slaving over his dinner rolling out dough) "What are you murdering in there?".  HA!  Boy did I laugh at that one!  It was pretty funny.  So yeah, sometimes you can look at the entire day with joy in your heart.  You can laugh with them, and smile at them, and be thankful the universe was kind enough to allow you to have these amazing people to share your life with.


In a few, days 11 - 15.