I received a really heart warming compliment today, about this blog, which reminded me that I haven't been here enough lately. My absence certainly doesn't mean that my personal growth as a parent has also stalled, in fact, it has been escalating. Between a recurring illness which leaves me tired and exhausted and the summer school holidays, I am walking the tight rope called patience which spans the expanse of screaming and yelling. Anyone else know that place? Someone else dancing the wire with me?
I continually put into practice the good old chestnuts of parenting in order to keep my cool.
1. Enforcing a smile on my face - it is hard to yell when you are smiling.
2. Distraction - either myself or my child - whichever works best at the time.
3. Stepping into their shoes - making myself imagine what it must be like from their perspective.
4. Visiting others in order to "share the love".
Fortunately for me I have also become very aware of my emotional barometer and am a little more forgiving of myself when having one of my bad days. I truly know now that I am doing my best as a parent and it will have to be good enough for my children. We do not know which experiences or things we say are going to stick to their souls so best we make sure that we do our utmost and forgive ourselves, over and over again.
Got any "old chestnuts" to share?
