Library Night
I'm really liking this plan of taking the first 20 minutes after Baby E goes down for her nap to do things with the two older girls. Today M&M chose to have me paint the girls' fingernails, and AJ chose for us to make butterfly decorations for her birthday party next month.
Then AJ worked on the decorations some more while M&M helped me make dinner. She helped add the rinsed rice and salt to the rice cooker, then she carefully measured 4 cups of water and poured them in. I showed her how to push the start button, and so she cooked the rice. :)
Tonight M&M and I went out together, just the two of us. M&M wanted to go to the library. We had fun picking out books together, and M&M read several books aloud to herself.
As M&M read, a young mother there with her preschool-aged son asked me how old she was, then exppressed amazement at a 4-year-old reading so well. We started chatting. It turned out that she was a 3rd grade teacher, and the small boy was her only child.
She ended up asking me about how I taught my kids to read and how I handled a few parenting situations. Then she asked if I'd consider providing daycare for her son! I must say, I never would have thought a complete stranger would ask me something like that. I laughed and said no, but thanked her for the compliment.
It was kind of nice to have someone tell me that I was "obviously a wonderful mother and a good teacher," but I'm not feeling like a wonderful mother at all.
I've been struggling to find a balance in life, give my kids enough attention and not be short and irritable with them lately. I'm really working on getting more sleep and maintaining my own health so that it's easier for me to have the patience and energy I need to deal with them.
Little things like making sure I take time to focus on the kids are helpful, I hope.
Then AJ worked on the decorations some more while M&M helped me make dinner. She helped add the rinsed rice and salt to the rice cooker, then she carefully measured 4 cups of water and poured them in. I showed her how to push the start button, and so she cooked the rice. :)
Tonight M&M and I went out together, just the two of us. M&M wanted to go to the library. We had fun picking out books together, and M&M read several books aloud to herself.
As M&M read, a young mother there with her preschool-aged son asked me how old she was, then exppressed amazement at a 4-year-old reading so well. We started chatting. It turned out that she was a 3rd grade teacher, and the small boy was her only child.
She ended up asking me about how I taught my kids to read and how I handled a few parenting situations. Then she asked if I'd consider providing daycare for her son! I must say, I never would have thought a complete stranger would ask me something like that. I laughed and said no, but thanked her for the compliment.
It was kind of nice to have someone tell me that I was "obviously a wonderful mother and a good teacher," but I'm not feeling like a wonderful mother at all.
I've been struggling to find a balance in life, give my kids enough attention and not be short and irritable with them lately. I'm really working on getting more sleep and maintaining my own health so that it's easier for me to have the patience and energy I need to deal with them.
Little things like making sure I take time to focus on the kids are helpful, I hope.
Labels: muddling motherhood
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Posted by purple_kangaroo at 10:22 PM[Permanent link]
6 Comments:
You have to believe in yourself. You are doing a great job and now that you can trust your medical providers to cover the priorities of health and safety, you will have the time and energy to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of parenting. Health and safety always come first, that's how it should be.
Thanks, Liz.
It's only when you stop trying to find a good balance that you should worry! :)
What Liz said (I couldn't say any better, but I agree with it absolutely).
You are a good mother. I good teacher obviously also. I would love to know how you taught your girls to read so young. Kenzie has some difficulties at 2nd grade and Madison's teacher says she is in the advanced class for the Kindergarteners but I wouldn't say she knows how to read, right now.
Thanks, diane and genevieve.
My4Kids, I'll try to put up a post about teaching kids to read soon.
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