I'll be honest, this whole being a mom to littles and having one with special needs thing is exhausting.
Especially since I'm one of those weird extroverted introverts.
I love and am so grateful for my friends, but I NEED peace and quiet to recharge so that I can keep loving my friends. ;)
I get frustrated with myself that my family gets the worst of me. But, for an introvert, it is so hard to have people around CONSTANTLY. And, when you're a mom of littles, there are no breaks... especially when one of them has health issues that require more hands-on than most other kids require.
So, I've had to develop some coping mechanisms.
One of those is simply showing myself more grace. Being ok with being the World's Okayest Mom.
But, another one of the BEST things I've done as a mom was actually pointed out to me by my husband a few nights ago. I honestly didn't even recognize that I had started to do this.
He thanked me at dinner for starting to do this simple thing with our kids because he knows it has saved a lot of frustration, impatience and yelling from happening in our home. (By the way, I'M the yeller,... not him)
My secret?
When the kids are whining or being rude or not speaking how we've taught them (i.e., please, thank you, etc), I simply ask them to "try again."
I'll say that over and over until they ask me the right way.
We've done this enough now that they get it and are usually giggling when they rephrase their question or ask it with a better attitude.
Also, I'm stubborn. (my pooooooor kids)
So, I don't budge until they've tried enough times to get it right.
There's no nagging, no impatience, no frustration.
Just, "try again."
And, then we all get what we want.
I get polite kids who are learning how to respect adults and get to experience grace.
They get a calm, kind, gentle momma who is learning to show grace to others (and herself!).
Win-Win
Try it out in your home. I bet it'll work for you, too.
-kt
