It’s been a rough day. Everyone is grumpy. Everyone is tired. How can you make a rough day better when you are tired and grumpy yourself? Read on for some been-there-done-that encouragement from a mom in the trenches (it’s me!).
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My Day
Ok, it’s time for some realism here.
Two year old woke up at 6:45.
Seven and six year old came to me at 7:30 each to tattle on the other over some fight they were having. A fight. At 7:30am. Did I mention that it was 7:30 already?
I called time to start school. One child did not come. I called again, giving the benefit of the doubt that I was not heard. Oh, I had been heard. Child was just not “ready” to come yet.
We’ll fast forward past the poor attention, constant chatter about unrelated things, bad attitudes, complaints, etc. that proceeded for the next hour(s) – including the screaming fit over not being able to pull some socks onto feet (it wasn’t the two year old, I might add).
I teach a couple of classes at our homeschool co-op. This morning I loaded up the kids for a trip to the library for a couple of books I needed for my class tomorrow. Please note that I took care to look on the website to make sure the books were not checked out before we left.
We got to the library, the parking lot was blocked, the entrance was roped off, and there was a sign “Closed Today.” Slight redirection but it’s ok. I’ll just go to a different branch. I drive to another branch. Also closed.
I checked to make sure today was not an obscure holiday that I didn’t know about. Nope, not a holiday. I checked to make sure I had not missed the county-wide closing posted on the website. Nope, not posted on the website.
Quick stop by the thrift store where I was able to feed my crazy addiction to children’s books but not really uncover anything useful for my co-op class. I did find, however, an unopened box of baby wipes for a very good price so that was nice.
Got home for a later-than-usual lunch.
And I am now (after having made all children who live in this house lie down for a you-better-sleep-for-two-hours-and-wake-up-in-a-better-mood nap, which they, of course, did not think they needed and let me know of their displeasure in no uncertain terms) in my room. on my bed. stuffing my face with Oreos. Don’t judge me.
Why I’m Telling You This
What is the point of this post besides venting and whining about the minor trials of my day?
The point is this: Not every day is good. Not every day goes as planned. Not every day is it even possible to do more than make sure everyone is still alive at bedtime.
I’m reminded of one of my very favorite quotes from the classic 1940 movie “The Philadelphia Story.” Uncle Willie enters that morning after having been at a society party most of the night and feeling a bit, shall we say, “under the weather” announces, “This is one of those days that the pages of history teach us are best spent lying in bed.”
While I may have wished to be back in bed most of today, I’m glad I wasn’t. You see, my kids need to know that their mommy is here for them even on their worst days. They need to know that they can act out, be mean to one another, disobey, have what I have lovingly dubbed “bad-itudes,” and their mommy will still get out of her cozy, comfy bed and love them. She will work to make their rough day better.
One of my favorite children’s books – I’m sure you’ll soon discover that I will say that about a lot of books (I told you I have a problem.) – is I Love You Because You’re You by Liza Baker. In the story, the mommy fox tells her son that she loves him when he’s happy, when he’s sleepy, when he’s grumpy, and when he runs away. (You can order the book on Amazon using this link or from Bookshop.org with this link.)
At first, I thought that we shouldn’t encourage our kids’ bad behavior by reading them a book in which the mother responds to her son’s acting up by telling him she loves him. The longer I thought about it, however, the more I realized that those moments are exactly when our kids need to know we love them!
My love for my children is not contingent upon their good behavior, their cutest smiles, their best grades, even their perfect obedience. I love them because of who they are. God created them just as He wanted them to be. And He gave them to my husband and me because, for some strange reason, He thought we could love them and raise them up to be caring, passionate adults who love God and love others well.
How will they learn to love well if they haven’t received love well? How will they learn to trust God’s love for them even when they mess up if they can’t trust my love for them even when they’re a little grumpy?
It has been a rough day. It has been hard to find moments worth chasing. But some days are like that. Some days a moment caught is as little as reading a couple of new-to-you thrift store books while your toddler sits in your lap. Other days a moment caught is singing a lullaby over the children before they sleep.
Some days a moment caught is the whispered prayers over their little sleeping bodies that look so much cuter and sweeter than they did a few minutes ago when they were awake and grumpy. Other days the moments will be small. And some days you may have trouble finding a moment at all.
Keep chasing. It’s worth it.
Needing a bit more encouragement? Check out these other posts about how to show love to your kids even when you don’t feel like it: Dealing With Fussy Kids – One of Those Days, Is It Worth It, Grace for the Chase, and Creating Meaningful Moments. Or click over to the Moments page for a complete list.
I have tons of activity ideas for chasing those moments listed out by age group and category over on the Activities page. And some of my family’s favorite recipes for keeping the evenings running smoothly and happily on the Recipes page.
The Chasing Those Moments Shop has so many resources for your family or organization. From activities, to lesson plans, my books, and lots of resources.
Follow Chasing Those Moments on Pinterest for plenty of inspiration to help you chase those moments with your kids.
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I love this!
Love this! You have such loving patience! You, my sweet niece, make my heart smile because of who you are and the wonderful mother you are to your babies! Love you!