Saturday, May 8, 2010


I was contemplating skipping the whole obligatory Mother's day post, not that I don't love my mother, or even Mother's day, it's just one of those occasionally touchy subjects in our house of late. Then I found cute Jen's blog, again with the whole linky thing- techno illiterate remember, anyway she challenged everyone to write about one weakness in motherhood, and one strength.

So now I feel guilty for trying to ignore it- and guilt, oh the Jewish mother in the back of my mind, she never rests, and so here is the guilt driven confession of my mothering successes and failures for your reading pleasure.

My weakness is definitely consistency, consistent FHE and family scripture study and expectations and follow through. Oh I try, and I read books on parenting- my latest was Christlike Parenting and now my Jewish mother in my head is telling me that I coerce too much.

I tell her 'but I thought a reward system was the way to reinforce good behavior' and she says 'well apparently it's just bribery, and that's a form of coercion' so now I feel all guilty and incompetent.

My plan- try to just be consistent with the important things, and let the rest fall into place. Read scriptures at breakfast as opposed to bed time- so no one can be too busy or too tired- a trapped audience if you will. FHE lesson on Sunday night, cause Mondays are out of control in our family, and an activity later in the week. That's all I've got on the solution home-front, maybe as I get all consistent like with these things I can add more, but baby steps Bob, baby steps.

My strength, and occasionally annoying trait-according to Girl Child, I'm a smother. I'm involved in all things Emma. Field trips, check, volunteer at school, check, read together every night, check, even playing-ugh- barbies. But she knows I'm available when she needs me, and she knows that I love her no matter what, even when she's naughty, and if there's only one thing she understands about our relationship that would be what I want her to know.

3 comments:

  1. Yep, I really do think that's the main thing. If they know we love them, chances are we'll all be okay.

    =)

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  2. I like your solutions for FHE and scripture reading. Very creative - sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. And wow - you even play Barbies. You've earned your place in heaven right there.
    Have a wonderful day tomorrow with your family - I hope you get some chocolate in there somewhere!

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  3. Thanks for post this. And I'm so happy to learn that I'm not the only mom on the earth that is inconsistent. From the ladies in my ward you'd think I was. I'll link you, if I can!

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