This week I had the honor of taking this girl for yogurt. Let me explain there are many days that honestly I feel like a failure as a parent. As a mother of a child with AS I am often told that I do wrong. Sometimes I have to make a list of things that I do well, or a list of things that are going well with the kids.
This week I had the chance to see one of those positive moments. Faith loves to help with the little kids and I accept the help. I asked her to put our three year old in bed after lunch. Something she does often. I took a moment to go to the bathroom (you know while the baby was not in my arms and the others were still eating lunch). I heard her take him to the bathroom and explain that he was stinky. Then she took it upon herself to clean him up and then put him in bed. Okay that part does not surprise me because that is Faith. This is what shocked me. She then came to me and asked what to clean the bathroom with. What??????? She cleaned the dirty bathtub. So I called my husband and said we have got to reward this behavior. So I took her out for frozen yogurt and then we went shopping and she got a new shirt and necklace.
I cannot always take time to take the kids out for frozen yogurt but I can make a point of stopping and telling them thank you for helping.
Michael loves to fix things and I have to remind myself that he is capable. One day the door broke and I was inwardly freaking out about how to get it fixed. He reminded me he could fix it several times. So I let him. It is amazing how little things like tightening some screws can build confidence. Not only build confidence but encourages them to help more the next time.
How do you encourage your kids? How do you motivate them?
Pamela
This week I had the honor of taking this girl for yogurt. Let me explain there are many days that honestly I feel like a failure as a parent. As a mother of a child with AS I am often told that I do wrong. Sometimes I have to make a list of things that I do well, or a list of things that are going well with the kids.
This week I had the chance to see one of those positive moments. Faith loves to help with the little kids and I accept the help. I asked her to put our three year old in bed after lunch. Something she does often. I took a moment to go to the bathroom (you know while the baby was not in my arms and the others were still eating lunch). I heard her take him to the bathroom and explain that he was stinky. Then she took it upon herself to clean him up and then put him in bed. Okay that part does not surprise me because that is Faith. This is what shocked me. She then came to me and asked what to clean the bathroom with. What??????? She cleaned the dirty bathtub. So I called my husband and said we have got to reward this behavior. So I took her out for frozen yogurt and then we went shopping and she got a new shirt and necklace.
I cannot always take time to take the kids out for frozen yogurt but I can make a point of stopping and telling them thank you for helping.
Michael loves to fix things and I have to remind myself that he is capable. One day the door broke and I was inwardly freaking out about how to get it fixed. He reminded me he could fix it several times. So I let him. It is amazing how little things like tightening some screws can build confidence. Not only build confidence but encourages them to help more the next time.
How do you encourage your kids? How do you motivate them?
Pamela
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2 comments:
I am a mother of 4 boys and I also struggle with feelings of failure. I homeschool and it's hard to see the positive sometimes. I love reading your blog because you have more kids than me and you are not going crazy, so if you can do it so can I. My husband was also in the Military so I think we have some things in common. Please check out my blog if you haven't already.
www.jaronalexander.blogspot.com
Terri Cote
The definition of failure as parent has many definitions. None of mine match you! You are doing a great job! Keep it up!
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