For my mom friends

Being a mom is the greatest, most rewarding job there is; however at times, it can be overwhelming, hard, and frustrating.  I have felt alot of the latter in dealing with Noah lately.  It is HARD WORK parenting a special needs child.  Especially when there's a lack of communication as there is in our case.  In fact, one morning last week, I had a really hard time getting him ready for school. If it were up to him, he would wake up, cuddle with me on the couch and watch tv.  He wakes up slowly (sort of like his momma). He DOES NOT like that now he has to wake up and get moving so he can be at school on time.  Needless to say, mornings have become a challenge and since he doesn't talk, he cries. ALOT.  It was particularly bad last Tuesday.  He continued to cry (wail) while I was trying to feed Collier his breakfast.  Then Collier began crying because of Noah being so upset.  I couldn't get either one to settle down and we had to be out the door shortly.  On top of that I was going to a cycling class after I dropped Noah off, so I had to have Collier fed by the time we left.  In hindsight, it wasn't THAT big of a deal, however, my patience was thin because of Noah's behavior recently so I got very frustrated pretty quickly.  I finally had to put Noah in his bedroom in order to get Collier calmed down and fed.  We finally got out the door and I cried on the phone to Jamie during the drive to school. I felt like I was a bad mom and that I couldn't do anything to make him happy.  I was frustrated that I never know what he needs or wants and its all such a guessing game since he can't tell us (plus I know he gets frustrated by all of it too and that just breaks my heart) and on top of that, I was upset with myself for losing my patience with him.  After I dropped him off at school, I debated whether to go to my RPM (cycling) class, but ultimately decided I should go so that I could release some of the stress that I was already feeling at just 8:00am. 

It was absolutely no coincidence that after class ended, our instructor asked me how Noah was doing.  I told her about some of the challenges I'd been faced with lately in dealing with him.  Would you believe that she used to teach Special Ed at a school and was very familiar with special needs kids and their behaviors?!   We spent a good 30 minutes discussing things and ways to make life easier and less frustrating for Noah and therefore easier and more manageable for me (and Jamie).  She had several suggestions for me and even knew some peole that work in the field that could give me additional advice.  Thank you Lord, for know just what I needed that morning!  She was literally a blessing to me that day.  Someone who was encouraging, comforting, and sympathetic. 

Regardless of anyone's situation, you have bad days with your little ones.  This morning, I ran across this article and thought it was full of good advice and encouragement to all moms so I wanted to share it. 

8 Ways to be a better mom to young children

1. Make your relationship with the Lord your number one priority. If you’re too busy for God, you’re just plain too busy. Make time for the most important things. You won’t regret it.

2. Get a consistent routine in place. Make your routine simple (maybe even just five or seven things you want to do in the same order every day), write it out, and make yourself stick with it for three weeks. After that, you’ll probably find it’s become somewhat of a habit. Don’t set your expectations too high. If you’ve never had a consistent routine, you’re not going to go from chaos to a regimented schedule in two days. Start small, take baby steps, and make loving and enjoying your children your priority — far above a clean home or strict schedule.

3. Read aloud from a plethora of good books. Look at the pictures together. Talk about the stories. Stop and listen and answer your children’s questions. It’s not about finishing the book; it’s about investing in your children’s lives.

4. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Ask yourself, “What will matter 25 years from now?” and then live your life accordingly.

5. Take advantage of teaching opportunities. It’s amazing the things you can learn and explore together when you’re willing to stop what you’re doing and seize a teachable moment.

6. Praise your children liberally. Do you correct or criticize your children more than you praise them? As parents, it’s our role to guide and nurture our children, but that doesn’t mean we can’t also be their biggest cheerleader!

7. Realize that no mom — however put together she might look — is anywhere near perfect. Stop comparing. Stop feeling guilty. Focus on what works for your family and be okay with the fact that you aren’t gifted in all areas.

8. Don’t give up. Being a mom is hard, hard work. If you’re anything like me, you have days when you feel like you just can’t do it anymore. And I’ve come to learn that I can’t, in and of my own strength. But “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

http://www.momlifetoday.com/2011/10/8-ways-to-be-a-better-mom-to-young-children/