The Puddles

I love being a wife and a mom.  But sometimes it is really hard.  It feels like you have to be rock in a constantly shifting sea.   Struggling to fight against the constantly shifting waves and to not loose my footing.  My kids are near the end of their cute and cuddling stage. I can tell that they are starting to enter the next stage of life.  They are trying to figure out who they are.  They are starting to test their chops at sarcasm.  Their friends are exposing my kids to more and more things that we have tried to shield them from.  But, I can’t shut out the world.  All I can do is to try to give them the tools that they need to deal with it.

Why is it that self-worth is so often the first part of their personality to take a nose dive? How do I teach my kids to be brave and resilient in the face of criticism when I struggle with it myself?  I know how hard it is put yourself out there and to have that part of you stomped on.  It can wear you down.  How strong is their foundation?  Can they stand up against the tide?  I constantly worry that I am not doing enough to build their character to handle the tough situations.  I wish I could be with them every moment of the day, but that is unrealistic.  So how can I give them the tools to deal what life gives them?

There are adults that I know who don’t deal well with others and I think to myself that their childhood must have been rough to create an adult like that.  But then I know adults who are pillars and I want to glean from them everything I can about life so that I can equip my children with those qualities.  I have such a short time with them.  Soon they will grow up and be on their own.  I need to do everything that I can to train them to be the best adults that they can be.  It isn’t easy.  I mess up a lot. But I’m trying.