This week it has been apparent to me that sometimes I am present but not really present. For example, Brynn was reading me this VERY long story she had written in her journal this year at school. (She hasn't earned the nickname mouth for nothin...) I was cooking dinner. She finished and asked me a question about what she had read to me. It occurred to me that I had not really listened or heard a word of it. Her voice was like background noise to my current activity.
It has always been hard with four kids to meet every ones needs. Especially their emotional needs. If I am being honest, my kids often are crying out for attention through bad behavior or drama. For example last night Brynn would not touch her dinner. She just looked very forlorn and kept moving the food around on her plate. After her father and I asked her approximately ten times what was wrong with no answer we just gave up. It was obvious she was enjoying the ongoing attention but I was getting annoyed. Brynn needs attention I thought to myself and she is getting any way that she can. How many times do Aubrey and Caroline stand beside me while I am on Facebook and I pay no attention to them....more often than I would like to admit. Anna often does annoying things like pick at me and slap me on the behind and run away all desperate cries for time and attention.
I read a blog my sister Stacy posted last week about spending 15 minutes each day with my children of uninterrupted one on one time doing their activity of choice. Not always easy. But the author swears that the pay off is big. Always trying to improve my mothering skills I have vowed to try this. Summer is the perfect time to give it a go and today is day one.
Insert proud mother moment...Brynn and Anna both chose to write in their prayer journals, read their devotional to me and pray aloud together. It was a precious time. I got to hear about their fears, struggles, and even suggest things God could help them work on. For example, helping them walk away when their sister makes them mad. Anna even prayed for my friends Mother who is in the hospital in ICU. She heard her father and I talking about it yesterday and remembered. Sometimes moms, God gives us little winks to know that our teachings and guiding in our children's lives are not in vain. (FYI they make Jesus Calling my favorite devotional adapted for kids too.) Activities can also be cooking, tossing baseball, coloring. The list is endless. Stacy suggested I let my kids make the list. They were thrilled.
Last night I put Aubs to bed and the twins and I spent time making their teacher gifts. We assembled jars of homemade spice rub for their teachers and staff at school. They were over the moon.
Supermom cape...
Aubrey and I spent time coloring. She also sat on my lap and jabbered away. We talked about ducks and made animal sounds. I just held her and enjoyed her jabbering away. Caroline spent the night with cousin Clara last night so we haven't had our fifteen minutes but already I can see how it will pay of in a big way. Brynn and I finished our little time together and she said, "This was the best thing ever!" Anna exclaimed, "Mama, can we do this everyday?" Now, I'm human and I know there will be days that I am stressed and tired and I will be sorry I promised to do this but if I can make myself stop, be still and savor the moments I will be happier. I am a work in progress especially in the mothering department.
So this summer when days are more lazy and alot slower try and make the time. I know it's not always easy. I am challenging myself to do it as well. I'm in this awesome, amazing, hard, crazy journey of motherhood with you!
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