A Quote From Mr. Rogers

I've always like this one...

The very best reason parents are so special . . . is because we are the holders of a priceless gift, a gift we received from countless generations we never knew, a gift that only we now possess and only we can give to our children. That unique gift, of course, is the gift of ourselves. Whatever we can do to give that gift, and to help others receive it, is worth the challenge of all our human endeavor.

--Fred Rogers

Titles

I have been a Single Girl, a Working Mom, a Stay At Home Mom and a Work At Home Mom in the new century.  Shifting and transitioning to conform, fit, and factor-in all of God's plans for my life.

Going from a Marketing Coordinator for a nationwide chain to being home all day is an adjustment to everything new.  A new routine, a new self discipline, a new dynamic with my husband and a new set of friends, just to name a few.

I remember working full time through my first pregnancy and daydreaming of how great it was going to be staying home, just me and my new baby all day.  Taking naps, making fabulous meals, no bosses, no deadlines and leisurely reading great novels.  After 6 months,  I realized it is the baby whom I beg to take naps, sometimes Hamburger Helper has to count as fabulous, the only reading I really did was baby's first year books.  Who would have known that part of me missed meeting deadlines, impressing my boss or lunch with my co-workers.

I also got a few perks as a stay at home Mom that I did not foresee.  An unconditional love and special trust only felt with your child.  A new level of respect and admiration from my husband.  Learning more about myself through new sets of challenges.  And I am a better person because of these surprises.

The modern woman holds all kinds of titles in her lifetime.  The only thing constant is self.  Who you are outside of the labels you acquire:  Mother, wife or employee.  Embrace life's changing roles and responsibilities; they may just be the best times of your life.

Keep The Home Fires Burning

Today's message comes from the heart of a sappy blogger.  My husband and I have been together 13 years this summer.  I think about those years and I am reminded of the good times, the bad ones, the ugly situations, the embarrassing moments,  and the rolling on the floor funny as hell ones, too.  So in honor of my soul mate, I thought I would blog a few thoughts about marriage.

A spark became a flame and a relationship ignited with your partner.  Remember that wonderful feeling that made you say "yes" to the one you love?  From that three letter word grew a home and a family complete with all of life's additions and subtractions.

Now, all fires require maintenance.  Fan the flame by spending time with just the two of you.  Be open to creative ways to express your love.  Physical actions like holding hands and making the time to be intimate.  Verbal reinforcements like saying "I love you" and reminding them you feel "blessed to be together" can make all the difference between a good day and a great one!  It is a beautiful thing to love and be loved in return.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect relationship, or a perfect spouse for that matter.  Everyone has their annoying/endearing traits.  It is simply important to take care of each other. Keep focused on the fact that the two of you made a commitment to grow old together.  A mate for life is a blessing.  (Occasionally disguised as a pain in the ass! LOL!)  So tonight, tell your mate you love them, hold their hand for no reason and vow to keep the home fires burning.

I'm A Stressed-Out Little Teapot

Sound familiar?

The house is a mess.  Each of the toddlers are wanting my attention; pulling me in opposite directions.  The phone is ringing and lunchtime is approaching.  The water in my emotional teapot is heating up and about to boil.  My youngest dumps his juice all over the dog and my whistle blows! 

One of my 2009 Resolutions was to have more patience with my kids.  I'm sure this one is near the top for all Moms.  Now, it is my nature to research things I do not know.  In my pursuit to find the magic technique to save my sanity in these "teapot moments", I recently stumbled upon an interesting take on why kids make their Mothers crazy.  It is from a book called, "Your Erroneous Zones" by Dr. Wayne Dyer.  I'll paraphrase and report:  Kids have little control in their lives.  But, one way to gain control is to misbehave for Mom and send her into one of her fits.  Sure, she'll punish the kids with time-outs, etc., but look what you get, complete emotional domination over her!  Now, Dr. Dyer's answer to this is to identify and deconstruct your anger to eventually eliminate it.  

Now, I am no where close to perfection.  But, I am a work in progress.  I want to keep evolving and this is one area where I surely need help.  If someone out there has found the solution to cool off an angry Mama at the peak of her frustration, I welcome your comments.

Sincerely,

Ma-Kettle

Are you paying attention? There will be a test later.

We watch our kids while they are playing so they don't dash into the street, run with scissors or poke their eye out doing something careless.  Beyond being a referee, are we missing a chance to really observe our children's point of view on the world?

There is a fantastic quote that says, "We get to see who are children really are through a crack in the door."  Watch closely.  Understanding who they truly are will hep you customize your parenting skills with each child according to their needs.  You can use these observations to customize your style of discipline, reward systems and even which talents to expand upon.  All of this and more can be improved if you just start studying your kids.

Ask yourself:  What makes my child's eyes light up?  What are they good at?  What makes them laugh?  When are they at their most vibrant?  What is one thing that you know about them that no one else can see?