Mother's Day

To celebrate being a mother, I thought I'd jot down a few new-to-me tricks I have begun to make me feel like a better mother who is inviting more peace into the home (aka. where I've given in or gotten sneaky to avoid yet another fight with a head strong kid or we're just trying something out to see if it'll work):

- instead of sending a little boy -who is bustling full of energy after 3+ hours at school and takes said energy and uses it to torture little sisters- to his room to get control of himself, I have him run "laps" in our back yard.  Now our back yard isn't exactly the right size for running laps, but we've worked out a route that has him going around a lot of obstacles and using said energy in a more productive way.  Better!

- this same boy's Primary Teacher is going to text his daddy when he can't seem to get it together in his class (she agreed to this today-Yay!).  Since its a big class and both teachers aren't always there, this will put a damper on some wildness without her trying to figure out how to get another adult there (this class is waaayyyyy at the other end of the building).

- instead of fighting with a certain opinionated two-year-old about what she can and can't wear on Sunday (the ONLY day I even suggest anything), I've started hiding all her shorts and play skirts and dresses so she can choose from anything that is there.  It has worked like a charm!

- before school, I just dress my staring off into space kids.  This was suggested by a friend who has 6 happy kids.  It avoids the grouching in the morning, they will figure out how to dress themselves in a timely manner before highschool, we are more on time, and I can send off happy kids instead of kids who have stalled and stalled and finally cried.

-  when a certain four year old starts to cry and cry and cry for every little thing, I try to get us out of the house.  It works for her.  Of course, we can't always leave, but when we can, it is sanity for us all.

-  I moved the girls' shoes to where they can easily see and reach them.

Little, silly things.  Yes.  But I needed to celebrate the little stuff I am figuring out this Mother's Day.  I have such great examples of Mothers in my life, am so grateful for them and (frankly) want to be more like them.  These little improvements are hopefully steps in that direction.

Happy Mother's Day!