Status updates aren't all fun and games

Being a parent is hard work. And being home all day long with your kids is even harder!
Can I  get an Amen?  And my Facebook status sometimes make other mom's feel inferior to me. But I want you to know that I suck. I failed this week in the mom department big time.
We are taking a great parenting class right now in which we are learning a lot, a lot of what we are doing wrong. The hardest part of our class is the re-teaching ourselves and our children how things should be done.

I am learning that although I love my children God loves them even more. He has given them to us for a short time and in that time it's our job to raise them according to his word and not hurt them while doing so.

We are trying to back up our parenting with scripture so that our children get the practical reasons behind our method. Children by nature have a "why" mentality and giving them the biblical reasoning behind things allows them to process behavior & application at the same time.

Example -
Sharing with others or in general showing kindness to others = "Be courteous to all men" - Titus 3:2
Being patient and kind to others = "Love is patient, love is kind" - 1Cor 13:1

This week has been hard for me when it comes to parenting. I can give you a long list as to why this week has been exceptionally hard. But lets just say we have had VBS all week mixed with my crazy Tri training and together you have very tired children and 1 tired/cranky Mama (who may or may not be staying up too late to watch the Olympics each night )

Excuses aside the past week the challenges with our oldest have pushed me over the top! Starting with her behavior over the weekend with her Grandparents. Someone may have been kicked and it was not Grandma doing the kicking. And the rest of the week spiraled down hill from there.

I love this child dearly and being our 1st born she holds that special place in my heart that 1st Born's do. However,  she challenges me more most days than the other 2 combined. And she is going through this independent stage that is both a blessing and a curse. To give you another idea of our week, this said child may or may not have spent 1.75hrs in the bathroom crying - no - sobbing because she was getting a consequence. I am talking sobbing, red faced, sweaty mess all because she disobeyed and did not want a consequence.

And this Mama did NOT fall into her said power struggle trap. I did NOT get frustrated, I did NOT yell, I did NOT slam the bathroom door and I did NOT tell her she could sleep in there for all I cared. Nope - this Mama did NOT act like her almost 5year old at all. Cool as a cucumber - that was me. Yeah Right!!!

I write this all to tell you that I am human. I make mistakes, parenting is hard & I am not always a "great" mom. I fail miserably more than I'd like to admit. During these times of failure my Facebook status should read something like "Crazy/Tired mom at the wheel", "I suck" or "Yelling, what yelling?"  I am working on things and things are getting better but things aren't always peaches and cream here in the Team D ballpark. And just so we are all clear the next time you see one of my  happy & fun filled status updates just remember that WW III was or did transpire in our ballpark (home) that day/week.