How I Do It: Family Involvement + Outings

Happy Monday!  I hope y’all had a wonderful weekend!  The girls are in school, and I’m attempting to clean out some closets today.  I don’t know about you, but it feels so much better when I get rid of junk that’s piled up, and everything looks cleaner and more organized.  Then again, I LOVE to organize…when I have the time!  But at least I can now say that one closet that I couldn’t even walk into, can now be used as an actual walk-in closet. Baby steps…

Confession:  My parents and in-laws live in town.  While I’m blessed and lucky enough to have them so close, I don’t take advantage of using them that often (like maybe once or twice a month).  They are the best parents and in-laws anyone could ask for, and they’re so great with the children!  I am very, very grateful to have them!  The biggest comfort is knowing that they are right there, and I can call on them if I ever need help, but like I said, it’s rare.  Honestly, the times that they do babysit, is when I have a hair appointment or a meeting at school.  I know y’all are thinking, well, what about all of your ob-gyn visits, when you were pregnant??  Well, the kids always all came with me.  Almost all of my visits, all they did was check my blood pressure and listen to the baby’s heartbeat, so the children actually enjoyed coming.  The only time I needed someone to sit for me, as far as the appointments went, was when I had my glucose test.  I don’t think sitting in a waiting room for an hour with four kiddos would have been as peaceful for the other patients waiting.  But even with the ultrasounds, the children were there, and loved looking at the screen, seeing their new sibling.  At the appointments, the girls loved doing everything I did, on each visit.  My sweet doctor was kind enough to let them help him push buttons, when using the doppler to hear the baby’s heartbeat.  And they always wanted their heartbeat’s heard too…yes, I’m talking lifting up their shirts, gel, the whole she-bang.  They loved it!  And they wanted their blood pressure checked, their weight measured on the scale, etc.  Basically, anything I had done to me, they wanted it too.  Who knows, maybe they’ll both become doctors, like my dad.

For young children, every outing is an adventure!  I always try and keep this in mind, when running errands with my little ones.  While us as adults think, ‘alright, I’m going to run right in here, and drop off this package, and be on my way,’ with young children, you soon learn that, although it may take just a little longer on your outing, children take every single thing in, with big wide-eyes.  So yes, even the post office, is this cool place where you mail packages and get to meet lots of new people.  Not that I frequent the post office that often, our post office ladies, Veronica and Terry, know my children by name.  And every trip, the girls leave with lots of free stickers and paper.  Cheap thrills!

So the next time you’re headed to Target with your children, don’t dread it, enjoy it!  Instead of thinking, ‘oh great, here’s another trip to Target with the kids. I sure hope they behave and don’t whine!,’ instead tell them, “Who’s ready to go to Target, and hug the big red ball, and find some things for Mama??”  They get excited every time!  As long as they’re receiving attention, even if it’s “hey, tell me to stop when you see the apple juice,” then they’ll behave.  I find that mine start misbehaving, when I’m not showing them enough attention.  Seriously, even giving them eye contact when strolling through the aisles can be attention enough.

Slow down, it’s not a race.  It’s one thing to run through life, always wanting to feel like “ah, I’m done”.  It’s another, to cherish each moment, no matter how small.  What I’ve learned is that through a young child’s eyes, everything is big and important!  Remember that, the next time they show you that their half-eaten bread looks like a pirate!

P.S. Just because I’m writing this, doesn’t mean I accomplish this everyday.  Trust me, there are plenty of times I have to remind myself!  I’m not even close to being a perfect mother, but that’s the thing about motherhood, there’s always room for improvement and change, because our children are growing, and they’re changing too.  And it always seems to be a balancing act.  Like maybe I have a clean house, but I’m not spending enough quality time with my children, or the house is a wreck, but I’m on the floor playing with my kids.  I like the latter a lot better…but that’s the challenge…to balance both.  Thank the Lord for my Bible!  And if you’re a working mother or a single mother??  Talk about challenging.  I don’t see how y’all do it!

Alright, well I’m off to feed L his lunch (in the midst of de-cluttering a closet)…it never ends, but I love every minute of it!

Stay tuned…next Monday, it’s all about the importance of SLEEP.  Not just for me, but for the children, as well!