My children are bright, happy and vivacious. I am finding that this is a blessing...and a problem. They wake up at 6am every morning to a play date. What five year old wouldn't want to have non-stop play with their best friends?
The trouble is, increasingly, that they are a force with which to be reckoned. Not so much because they are naughty...as because they are silly, noisy, energetic...and outnumber me three to one.I am praying about how to give them constructive outlets for their energy,
limits on their hyperactivity in public,
respect for those who are in positions of authority.
I want them to be the joyful little creatures God made them to be...within limits that are for their good, not an attempt to break their spirit.
God give me grace, wisdom and patience to love my little lightning bolts with the appropriate balance of embracing who they are and who you are growing them to be.
8 comments:
Just a thought, but I have a friend who has a child very affected by the change of season. Who knows?
I have those same concerns and prayers for my kiddos. Last week my little boy wasn't paying attention in swimming class and it was so bad his teacher had to talk to me afterward. Seems like lately he's been pushing the limits more than usual. I just cling to the knowledge that my failures as a mother will be covered by God's grace if I constantly bring my concerns to Him~he has the answers to any parently struggle!
As a twin mother, my b/g twins wake up to a play date everyday too! I can relate....see if there is a pattern or if this was a one time only day for their day at school. We have "bad days" as adults, but just don't have a report given to our mothers any more about them. I believe that talking about what was happening, role playing a better way, and asking God to help us work on our behavior in class will help. Your children are bright, and as a teacher...the "honeymoon is over" in their classrooms, they want to see their limits...trust me, they will soon learn behaving in class is much better than not! Your lightning bolts are exploring limits! Prayers for you and them!
I am experiencing the exact same thing with my lively, bright, silly 4 year old boy and it breaks my heart when he has to pull a "dot" for being silly, not following directions, and pushing a friend down a slide. It breaks my heart b/c he has the best of intentions, but I feel like he is being taken the wrong way. I spent a long time looking up things on the internet and like you, I don't want to break his precious spirit! We have really been working on going over when it is time to be silly and when it is time to be serious, etc. It seems to be working, but it is taking LOTS of talks and reinforcement every day! I feel your pain and it's refreshing to know that I'm not the only mother going through this right now.
My daughter always says *What am I doing wrong* when her precious E.C. doesn't behave. I think she is doing everything right. Some days are just better than others. May God give you the wisdom and discernment you need to raise three unbelievably precious children.
I CANNOT tell you how much I can relate to this post right now. My oldest is struggling BIG TIME. She is 8 and not being overtly defiant to others -- yet....but I had two people yesterday tell me of her issues.
And I DO feel like it is something I'm doing wrong....Praying for you in this. My husband and I sat down and talked with her last night and talked about what God expected from her and also what it meant to follow God's choices and not choose to follow other children whom she says she is imulating.....
I'm hoping and praying that our talk made a real difference to her. It seems to have made a difference. I guess I will soon enough see.
Jen, a book that might help you, if you haven't read it already is "Shepherding a child's heart" by Ted Tripp. It isn't an 'easy' read, but we are doing it in our small group & discussing it with others that are like-minded has been helpful. i.e. to get their take & how they do things at home. We sometimes see things in each other's lives that we can speak into & lovingly help change. ***JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE AN AWESOME MOM, WHO IS DOING A GREAT JOB!!*** The children WILL have bad days & unfortunately sometimes all at the same time. Hugs to you, wise lady.
I teach Kindergarten and there could be a number of factors ... like someone said the change in the seasons/weather (we live in TX and when they say the temp will drop by 20 degrees in less than an hour I want to cry ... it will be that bad!), this is a rough time of year ... so many exciting things to look forward to, and it could have just been a bad day (x 3!) And, while you want to change their behavior, you want to keep their spirit. God created them ... and, I'm sure He giggled when He did because He was so tickled with Himself! I use a marble jar in my classroom ... I start with all the marbles (or, those flat gems from Michaels ... much cheaper) and when I see my kiddos making good choices they get a "party". And, I can take marbles back ... usually you only have to take back one or two ... they are quite possessive of their marbles! Your "party" could be anything ... staying up 10 minutes later, a trip to the Library, a game of tag with Mommy and Daddy ... whatever motivates them.
Everyone has bad days. We Moms look at our children's bad days as a reflection on us ... we should use it as a teaching moment to help grow them into God planned for them to be. I have lurked on your blog for awhile ... your kids just make me giggle ... and you are a mom who pours herself into them. They are growing up to be an amazing little lady and men. Can't wait to hear what kind of day they had today!
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