i went shopping for clothes for my birthday girl the other day and realized that i can now purchase her clothes from the kids’ section. and that this year will be the last year i can purchase from the toddler section. that gave me a bittersweet feeling yet again. so happy she’s growing healthy and strong, and yet so sad she is growing up. that she won’t be a toddler anymore, she’ll be a kid!
the other day when we were getting ready to leave the house and my youngest was refusing to get dressed, i told her, “if you don’t come right now and get dressed, sister and i are going to leave without you!” then my now 4 year old girl who was waiting patiently by my side said to me in a quiet, calm tone, “mommy, you shouldn’t tease her like that, that’s not nice.” i was taken aback by her response because for the first time, she was telling me to behave and be a nice girl. i’m always the one telling her to be a nice person, not the other way around! i just looked at her in silence for a moment because she was so right and i told her, “you’re right, i shouldn’t tease her like that. thank you for telling me that.” it was such a mixture of feelings, but mostly shame on myself that my 4 year old daughter was telling me to be a nice person. kind of embarrassing!
so i made a promise to myself today. that i will be better at being a better person. a better mommy. to try to set nothing but good examples for them, especially at times when i get frustrated or angry. my brother once told me of an article he read about how so many mothers are stressed about raising their kids right, to have babies listen to mozart or beethoven for certain minutes everyday, to send them to the best schools, to enroll them in many extra curricular activities, and while all those things are good and important, the single most important thing that will have the greatest impact on their lives and shape them as a person is not what we do or say but what we are. what kind of a person the mother/father is. talk about pressure right? but a good kind of a pressure. an extra motivation and determination for me to be the person that my kids can grow up to be and i’ll be okay with. wait, i take that back, not just okay with, but very happy with. and i think i’m getting pretty close, i just have to work on about a hundred things and i’ll be good. 😉
dotblogg says
:))) you're such a great mum:) your girls wouldn't be that cute without your influence:)
hugs
J
Jackie says
Kids say the most wonderful things sometimes and when we least expect it. You sound like you are very aware of who you are what kind of mommy you want and need to be. I was always very open with my kids and talked to them as they were adults (especially my son) and it did wonders for who they are now. One thing I ALWAYS did daily was tell them I loved them and be the first to apologize even if I knew for certain I was right. They have no problem now expressing their love for me and will always be the first to come and apologize after we have a disagreement. I cherish that in my kids. BTW, mine are 23 and 18! I also read countless books each night at bedtime and sang songs to teach my son spelling words! Enjoy those little ones and I love your blog.
Rach says
Very cute…thank you
Emily says
I agree with dotblogg. So cute!
Where is that playground thing you guys went to? That looks like so much fun (for me too 🙂 )
Romwe Online says
I think child is angel and child makes life more passionate to you ,you are a good mother and may you and your child happy forever
http://romwe-romwe.blogspot.com/
Sarah says
@Emily: It is fun for adults too!:) it was the Classic Fun Center in Orem.
Thank you for your sweet comments/insights everyone!
xx