Have you ever wondered how, as a mom, you make it through your day? The needs and trials of our children, seem never ending. There is always something that must be done - and done now - according to the philosophy which is innate in our children. They have yet to learn that other people, too, have needs and wants that quite possibly could be just as important or - oh, my goodness - more important than their own.
As a mom, I've found my children's desperate pleas for attention, information/knowledge sharing, quarrels, and more are often at the most inopportune times during my day. My bladder is full and I find myself doing my daughter's "potty dance" while I resolve the latest conflict between siblings. I've just put shampoo in my hair when brother finally decides he's a big boy and can climb onto the Mommy and Daddy potty all by himself, but he didn't quite make it and his bum is now stuck. I've decided it's time for a homemade dinner that is nutritious and reminds my husband that I am able to cook something other than chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, but both brother and sister determine that their sous chef expertise is needed yet have differing opinions on how to follow Mommy's directions. I've actually found time to sit down and write a short blog post after getting children both to sleep when one determines that they haven't spent enough time with Mommy and need just a few more hugs and attention.
There is an exceptionally truthful book written by Jill Murphy called Five Minutes' Peace. In this book, Mrs. Large is a mother (albeit, an elephant) with children like so many of ours. She simply asks for five minutes' peace, but what does she get...you'll have to read to find out. However, after reading this book, you may just reconsider your own five minutes' peace like I did.
Within the day-to-day life of a mom, five minutes' peace is often just a figment. It's a dreamed of phenomenon. But, what it represents can be found throughout each of our days if we simply take a look at what each moment - each interruption - means. Our children desire to be with us and to share with us. They want to learn from us. They want our attention. They look at us as one of the most important - if not the most important person - in their lives.
We may not always look at each interaction as a positive experience, but we're also not always looking at these interactions through the eyes of our children. They see life differently - experience it differently. They don't yet have the same understandings of societal and familial rules. When we see the mess in the kitchen from one child attempting to make breakfast, we may first view it as a mess that we will have to clean up. Yet, could it be they were attempting to care for us - show us their love for us through an action that we perform for them every day? When our children come to us with their quarrels, we hear screaming and may see fighting. Yet, do we not see that they trust our judgment enough that they bring their troubles to us for resolution. When our children perform a "big kid" or adult action without regard that they are not a big kid or adult, we see a new set of restrictions or boundaries that must be established. However, we may not see that they are mimicking our own actions through their desire to be more like us.
We must make peace with the daily interruptions that take away from our personal five minutes' peace if we want to truly be at peace. It's not an easy task, but it's well worth it. Once we find this peace, we can better enjoy the sanctity of our Mommy Time.
As a mom, I've found my children's desperate pleas for attention, information/knowledge sharing, quarrels, and more are often at the most inopportune times during my day. My bladder is full and I find myself doing my daughter's "potty dance" while I resolve the latest conflict between siblings. I've just put shampoo in my hair when brother finally decides he's a big boy and can climb onto the Mommy and Daddy potty all by himself, but he didn't quite make it and his bum is now stuck. I've decided it's time for a homemade dinner that is nutritious and reminds my husband that I am able to cook something other than chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, but both brother and sister determine that their sous chef expertise is needed yet have differing opinions on how to follow Mommy's directions. I've actually found time to sit down and write a short blog post after getting children both to sleep when one determines that they haven't spent enough time with Mommy and need just a few more hugs and attention.
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| Attempting to put together a bookshelf with a little additional help from someone who just might understand the instructions |
There is an exceptionally truthful book written by Jill Murphy called Five Minutes' Peace. In this book, Mrs. Large is a mother (albeit, an elephant) with children like so many of ours. She simply asks for five minutes' peace, but what does she get...you'll have to read to find out. However, after reading this book, you may just reconsider your own five minutes' peace like I did.
Within the day-to-day life of a mom, five minutes' peace is often just a figment. It's a dreamed of phenomenon. But, what it represents can be found throughout each of our days if we simply take a look at what each moment - each interruption - means. Our children desire to be with us and to share with us. They want to learn from us. They want our attention. They look at us as one of the most important - if not the most important person - in their lives.
We may not always look at each interaction as a positive experience, but we're also not always looking at these interactions through the eyes of our children. They see life differently - experience it differently. They don't yet have the same understandings of societal and familial rules. When we see the mess in the kitchen from one child attempting to make breakfast, we may first view it as a mess that we will have to clean up. Yet, could it be they were attempting to care for us - show us their love for us through an action that we perform for them every day? When our children come to us with their quarrels, we hear screaming and may see fighting. Yet, do we not see that they trust our judgment enough that they bring their troubles to us for resolution. When our children perform a "big kid" or adult action without regard that they are not a big kid or adult, we see a new set of restrictions or boundaries that must be established. However, we may not see that they are mimicking our own actions through their desire to be more like us.
We must make peace with the daily interruptions that take away from our personal five minutes' peace if we want to truly be at peace. It's not an easy task, but it's well worth it. Once we find this peace, we can better enjoy the sanctity of our Mommy Time.
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