Holy Cabooses! Work today was crazy! I was on my feet the ENTIRE day, non-stop, constantly cleaning this doohickey or that thingamajigger; holding at least one of the children (yes, there was a point when I was holing two of them); rebuking him or her for this or that; running around outside trying to keep an eye on all the kids at once; saving the cat from the kids; saving the kids from said cat; saving the baby chickens from death by four-year-olds; rounding up the kids for dinner; helping the kids eat their dinner; cleaning up after dinner, putting them to bed... Anyways, I'm sure you get the idea. Today was just super busy!
Since I started this job I have found that my patience level is really being tried. I used to think of myself as a patient person but now... Wow. Having one child practicing the piano, while another is learning Latin, and the rest of them are running around crashing little strollers into each other as well as the furniture is really starting to wear me out. I actually cheated in Candy Land the other day just to get the game finished quicker because I didn't have the patience for it. And today, one of the kids was constantly following me around, asking me questions and repeating them every eighth of a second. I mean, ...HOLY COW!
Mothers... how do you DO it??? How do you have the energy? Or the strength to do this ALL THE TIME?? Did your energy level just suddenly change when you had kids? Did you gain more strength and suddenly find yourself with an abundance of patience? I mean, I know it's different watching nine kids who are mostly all the same age, but still. Is it different when they're your own kids? Does it make it easier? ..This whole job has made me think twice about having kids. Not that I wouldn't have kids, it's just, I don't know if I should go to boot camp or something before having any. I mean, ...whoow!
Sweet Moments in Primary
6 years ago
3 comments:
Julia. We do it because we have to! We just have to! Lots of us let something else go. For lots of us that's a clean house and showers. :) Some mom's let themselves go, meaning they lose themselves and become a mother and a homemaker. For me, there's 3 major things that are part of a mom's job. Being an excellent Mommy. Being a good Housekeeper/Homemaker, and Keeping a handle on who you are. It's really hard to do all three things well. Those who can pull all three off great are the crazy supermom's out there that have it all together. The rest of us choose one to two of those to do well, and forget the third, and some of us do all three things poorly. :) It's kinda like college. You have a social life, your studies, and sleeping. You just don't have time to be great at all three. Same with being a mom. But you just do it b/c you have to! I don't think patience levels and tolerance levels change a whole lot when you become a mom. This is why some people have 3 kids, some people have none. You have what you can handle, and the church reiterates that. But yes, when they are your own kids you typically do have more love and patience for them. Gotta treat them right, they're the ones that are gonna put you in a nursing home later on! :)
Ok, I HATE babysitting. It doesn't matter it it's one kid, or 9 kids. Hate it. You don't know their comforts, or what makes them happy or the best way to feed them. And things that their parents probably think are super cute things that they do or say just annoy the HECK out of me.
But when it comes to my own kids, It's TOTALLY different. Not that they don't drive me crazy or completely frustrate me some times. I probably yell more then I should. But at the same time, (most people) only get one kid at a time. You have time to adjust before the next one comes along. It's not like to have a billion kids over night, And the love that you feel for your own kids makes anything possible.
Like Shelly said it's a juggling act, different moms are good at different things, but as long as you remember the your kids are most important, more important then a clean, or semi clean house. And they are MORE then rewarding for all the crappy things a mom has to do. They make every bit of it totally worth it.
LOL! I love it!
I remember when I was pregnant with my fist kid and I had a simi-regular babysitting job for another family in the ward. I just could hardly stand it! I was so afraid I was going to feel the same way about taking care of my kiddos all day! (seriously...I was pretty worked up about it) But, alas, I had my child and only VERY occasionally feel that way now.
My theory is, in order for a woman to have those motherly super patient and loving qualities, you have to have some sort of deep connection with the children. For example, I am very happy home with my own wildly insane children. And I can't get enough of my neices and nephews! But put me in a room with someone else's kid(s) and they will not be safe around me after an hour.
But, anyone who will willing care for my children (not to mention keep them happy and safe) when I need it is a LIFESAVER! So good for you, Julia! Wish I had a babysitter like you!!!
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