The other night nothing was going right. Tim was at prom (the high school where he is the assistant principal was having their prom, so he was there making sure it was all going okay). The little kids were exhausted. The big kids were annoyed. Even though I had lowered my expectations (I wasn't expecting board games and snuggles and kids thanking me for everything I did for them...just slightly polite was all I was hoping for), the night was a disaster.
Parenting is hard. Parenting kids with their own schedules, friends and mood swings is ridiculous. It's exhausting. Way more exhausting than when the kids were babies and toddlers. Back then we had routines and structure and no iPhones or hormones. Back when the kids were little all I had to do was make funny voices and turn on Disney Channel to make them really happy.
Now the funny voices don't work so great. But you know what does? Patience. And love. And not getting too worked up or too sucked into the drama and the mood swings and not taking it all too personally and ahhhhh.
The other night I was ready to send everyone to bed before dinner, but after dinner it all worked out.
"Want to play pickle?," one kid said after complaining that the chicken was dry.
"Okay," said another kid who was unhappy that we were having chicken and said she wanted to become a vegetarian.
The other kids followed the older ones out to the front yard. They all left their dishes instead of taking them into the kitchen, but I didn't care because they were playing together. Not just playing together, but laughing together and not complaining or fighting. It was amazing. It was more than I ever expected for the night.
Sure everyone had to go in when the game of pickle got too rough and one kid had a bloody nose, but they had fun. And they showed concern for the bloodied kid which gives me hope that the tween and teen really do care and have a little compassion.
"It's an absurd journey." That's a quote from Ron Howard referring to the journey of parenthood and why he produced the movie and TV show with the same name. He also called adolescence "a white knuckle experience." Yup. I loved that movie and that show and gosh, Ron Howard. I love my kids. I love my family. I love parenthood. So, I'm riding the ups and downs of parenthood...lowering expectations for perfect family time and being surprised and grateful when it goes really well... going to continue to be impressed by their compassion and do the best I can on this journey.
Tim and I are re-watching the show Parenthood from the beginning because we love it. Here's a video about the show and the interview with Ron Howard that I talked about.
(watch the video here.)
Parenting is hard. Parenting kids with their own schedules, friends and mood swings is ridiculous. It's exhausting. Way more exhausting than when the kids were babies and toddlers. Back then we had routines and structure and no iPhones or hormones. Back when the kids were little all I had to do was make funny voices and turn on Disney Channel to make them really happy.
Now the funny voices don't work so great. But you know what does? Patience. And love. And not getting too worked up or too sucked into the drama and the mood swings and not taking it all too personally and ahhhhh.
The other night I was ready to send everyone to bed before dinner, but after dinner it all worked out.
"Want to play pickle?," one kid said after complaining that the chicken was dry.
"Okay," said another kid who was unhappy that we were having chicken and said she wanted to become a vegetarian.
The other kids followed the older ones out to the front yard. They all left their dishes instead of taking them into the kitchen, but I didn't care because they were playing together. Not just playing together, but laughing together and not complaining or fighting. It was amazing. It was more than I ever expected for the night.
Sure everyone had to go in when the game of pickle got too rough and one kid had a bloody nose, but they had fun. And they showed concern for the bloodied kid which gives me hope that the tween and teen really do care and have a little compassion.
"It's an absurd journey." That's a quote from Ron Howard referring to the journey of parenthood and why he produced the movie and TV show with the same name. He also called adolescence "a white knuckle experience." Yup. I loved that movie and that show and gosh, Ron Howard. I love my kids. I love my family. I love parenthood. So, I'm riding the ups and downs of parenthood...lowering expectations for perfect family time and being surprised and grateful when it goes really well... going to continue to be impressed by their compassion and do the best I can on this journey.
Tim and I are re-watching the show Parenthood from the beginning because we love it. Here's a video about the show and the interview with Ron Howard that I talked about.
(watch the video here.)
"Sure everyone had to go in when the game of pickle got too rough and one kid had a bloody nose, but they had fun." BEST quote ever.
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