Saturday, August 01, 2009

Why do children have to be so hard?

So I have found out that all the comments I made to my mother--namely the mean, rude, nasty, I-don't-like-you comments--are being repeated by my 9 year old and so on down the line. Apparently I am being a bad mom by making my children pay for things they have broken, and if they do not have the money then they have to be my "slave" until they earn enough to pay for the broken object. I am also a terrible mother because I put my children in time out when they hit, call each other names, trip, push, bite, choke, scratch, take something away, etc. I also yell way too much (this is usually after I ask nicely like 100 times) and don't cook good meals. Or nutitious ones. Like hot dogs. I won't get them their own animals (just so YOU don't think I'm super meanie too, we have already accumulated two dogs and three cats and more would be in violation of the law around here not to mention complete and utter bedlam), I make them clean their own rooms and don't wash their clothes that are NOT picked up and in the laundry basket. (Isn't is funny Mom, I used to leave all my clothes in piles on the floor and you couldn't tell which ones were clean and dirty..well, I don't know their systems either and make them clean it up.) They don't have socks to wear regularly because they leave them outside, or on their floor or in the bathroom. Anywhere but the clothes basket that conveniently sits in either their room or bathroom. Should we go onto how school is? I get them up an hour earlier, have them take showers (anyone who has a 8-11 year old knows this is a ROYAL pain), eat breakfast (I AM so cruel) and then make their own lunch. Now before you say why don't I be a nice mommy and make them lunch while they play for thirty minutes and then spend the remaining time wolfing down their food and complaining that they can't find their shoes, I have made them their lunches in the past and they came home with almost everything except the treat telling me that it was a bad lunch and they didn't like it. So NOW I am ruthless and if they don't make it they go hungry. Of course I try to make something to snack on when they get home--like homemade cinnamon rolls, cake, brownies, cookies, zucchini bread or banana bread--but that isn't being a kind thoughtful mom. Neither is cleaning the bathrooms or taking them to the park or on vacations or reading with them or helping them with homework or playing with them or going on bike rides just after they learn to ride but aren't really super fast or sharing all my water with them when we are three miles from home and I'm super thirsty. Why would I ever do ANYTHING to be nice? Obviously I don't and am destined to outer darkness no matter what I do because my parenting skills are nil to none.
So--I know NO ONE else has children that are difficult or talk back or fight with their siblings so I am all ALONE. It's so tough (I'm being sarcastic before you email me and tell me that I'm not and so on.) I'm just struggling with being the drill sergeant who is from a not so nice place intent on making her children into good, responsible people who pick up after themselves and help others. But I will persevere and keep on the "meanie-cat" line and see where I end up. Nobody ever appreciates their own mom (or her cooking) until they leave home, live on their own and have a few children of their own. Why is THAT how it ends up working? I admit I was the same way but have long since repented of my evil mom-slamming ways and have come to deeply repect and love my mom for enduring the torture I put her through. (Though I will deny I said that later and go on proclaiming I was a complete angel and my mom's memory is not what it used to be...maybe I still need to work on the repenting and changing my ways part...) So that is my life in a nutshell now...school, exercise and chasing Sam around have become routine--nothing like a smart attitude to shake things up for a few years (or LONGER...). Have a great day--and if you don't I will personally put you in time out!

2 comments:

Mark and Amber said...

I know nothing about this yet, but I feel for you...you're a great mom, Sarah and they will see it in...about 10 years when the oldest goes on a mission! ;) Keep it up, you're a trooper! When can we get together?!

Mom and Dad Porter said...

Loved this post! Sounds like you are wonderful at parenting. Stand strong!