Parenting is Not for the Faint of Heart

Parenting is NOT for the faint of heart.  And trust me when I say this is NOT just some trite phrase I'm casually throwing out there.  These kids of ours put us through the ringer!  It is one wild roller coaster ride up in here.  Because in the course of 24-48 hours, we can go from melt-down, freaking out fits over the most RIDICULOUS stuff to moments of actual and real sweetness that may or may not bring tears to my eyes.  {There's HOPE you guys!}

Case in point -- Wednesday night Grace wanted to read a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book that Ethan had decided was his.  Forget about the fact that it was NOT just his -- I am the one who bought the series, not him -- he would not budge.  The result was a trip to crazy town on his part and a trip to a late night bedtime on her part which resulted in an absolute refusal to go to school the next morning because she was "too tired" and just wanted to go "back to sleep!"  

So, even though I like to tell Scott on a regular basis that I deserve a freaking medal every day of my life for handling that particular child, this was one day in which I knew the battle was lost before it even began.  Dun dun dun.  Hahaha.  Oh Grace.  As has been WELL documented, when Grace refuses to do something there is rarely any way to make her budge.  Especially now that she is physically bigger and stronger and can't simply be MADE to do what we need her to do.  The consequences for that day were grounding from electronics, early bedtime for the rest of the week, and extra family service hours added to her already growing sentence.  And of course, she had to stay in her bedroom all day until the kids got home from school, too.  She happily acquiesced and spent the rest of her day reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid in bed and creating a self-portrait out of masking tape on her floor. 

Oh Grace.

After getting a call from the school and being warned that we've used up all of our get out of jail free cards, however, I spent the rest of the day reading up on the state's truancy laws and the school district's attendance policies and trying to make Grace see how serious the situation has become.  {For the record, I think it has sunk in.  Although, only time will tell, right?}

Parenting is HARD.  Especially with extremely strong-willed and spirited children.  It is so difficult to know exactly the right way to handle a situation when every child is SO different.  Handling Ethan is a completely different ball game than handling Grace.  Or Sophie or Jane or Alex.  I can't tell you how many times during the day I find myself broken down in tears praying for help in managing these children.  The good news is that every so often I catch glimpses of greatness that give me peace and reassurance that they're all going to turn out okay.  

Glimpses such as this -- a handwritten note from Ethan, along with the book Grace really wanted to read, placed carefully and neatly on her pillow the very NEXT evening after all of the drama started.

{This seriously did make me cry.}

And glimpses such as this -- a neatly made bed, a mystery envelope with some candy, and another handwritten note.  This time from Grace, my ever-surprising surprise.  {"Mom, I made your bed for you!" she told me yesterday morning before church. And then followed up with, "I bet you can't guess who left you the note!"  Hmmm.  I wonder...}

{It says -- Love: Guess, To: Babe.  Hahahaha.}

 {"P.S. Thank you for my cake."  The first mention of gratitude for anything regarding the infamous birthday celebration.}

These kids, I tell ya!  They are hilarious, frustrating, amazing, awe-inspiring, and so, so difficult.  Almost in the same breath.  As I mentioned briefly above, we've instituted a new discipline strategy to throw into the mix in the form of "Family Service Hours."  It's basically like getting community service hours only within the family instead.  Depending on the severity of the crime -- be it disrespect, disobedience, or whatever -- Scott and I determine how many hours of Family Service must be completed before they can have another pay day. 

As with most of my big ideas, Ethan has already proclaimed this one to be terrible, but I think it's a good measure to be put in place in our home.  All 3 of the older kids have had to complete their share of service hours so far, and I'm really hoping that it will help to cut down a bit on the sass and rudeness that has been running rampant over the last little while!   Because really, when your TWO-year-old is saying things to you like "I hate you mom!" and "You're stupid mom!", you know you have a problem.  Because it's not like he's coming up with these phrases out of thin air.  Right?

 Oh Lover Boy.  It's a good thing we both know you don't really hate me.  :)

And don't let her adorableness fool you.  She's been known to spout some of the same rudeness!

In conclusion, it bears repeating -- Parenting is not for the faint of heart.  It takes untold amounts of faith, hope, and a whole lot of charity.  BUT.  Even though the glimpses of greatness can seem pretty few and far between -- when they happen, it really does erase all {or at least most} of the stressful and frustrating and difficult moments that surround them.

{Final case in point -- Ethan's mastermind of creating an Amazing Kid Race kept all of them occupied for most of the day yesterday.  There were a few kerfuffles here and there, but for the most part they were at their best -- playing, getting along, and doing all these crazy, creative things that I love so much.}

{He spent all of sacrament meeting madly scribbling clues for their race.  I decided that this behavior, while not officially reverent, was much, MUCH better than it has been in the past.  We're baby-stepping.  Hahaha.}

 {I should probably have him clarify what he means by "the top of the house."}

{The End}