Thursday, March 17, 2011

Don't Cry Over Spilled Sand

Today my daughter and I did a science experiment for her class.  We built a little model city and then added a sand dune.  This experiment was to see if getting rid of vegetation on a sand dune made a difference in how the sand blew and moved with the wind.  We had a lot of fun!  Have I mentioned lately how much I love having her home for school?  I really do love the K12 program.

By the end of the experiment we had sand everywhere!  It was on the counters and the floor.  Here's the thing, I didn't care!  

There was a time in my life that I would have really gotten upset about having a mess to clean up.  But over the years I've realized that life is WAY too short to care about the small things.  I've really learned to live in the moment.  It's more important to me to create fun lasting memories with my family than it is to worry about the messes we make making those memories.  

What do I want my kids to remember?  I guarantee you if I would have freaked out about the sand that's what my daughter would have remembered.  And I want my kids to remember the fun!

I am not even close to perfect (and won't ever be) with my patience.  It's something that doesn't come naturally to me.  But it's something that I'm working on day by day.  

Do you remember what it was like to be a kid or a teenager?  Can you really step back and think about that when it comes to your kids?  Do you remember being so excited about searching for 4 leaf clovers?  Do you remember what it was like to get in fights with your friends?  Do you remember what it was like to lose that first love?  Do you remember what it was like to truly want and need more independence?  

Remembering what it was like for me as a child has really helped me related more to my kids!  I have made it a goal to not act bothered when they interrupt me.  I've made it a goal to be less selfish.  And what I'm discovering in doing these things is that life with kids is fun!  They are amazing little people who want nothing more than play time, talk time or just love time.  

Today I really do love being a mom. 

3 comments:

Jeff and Alyssa Hertzler said...

That is SUCH a good reminder. Thanks! I needed that!

Lamb said...

You are an amazing mom. Your kids are going to have that "something special" about them because they have you as a mom who pushes them to be happy and to reach their full potential. You are awesome! And I want to play in sand...

Addison Warner said...

I love you mom and that experiment was SO much fun I loved it

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