Sometimes I wish I had attended boot camp for moms-in-training long before I had children. I don’t know if that kind of thing exists, but if doesn’t, it really should. In a perfect world, little girls learn the art of mothering and parenting and home management from their mothers. But in the real world, that isn’t always possible.
My husband and I took some pretty intensive classes on marriage before we got married, and we feel like we have a good foundation for how to have a good marriage. But parenting is another story. We both grew up with divorced parents and moms who worked long hours. Honestly, I didn’t think parenting would be that difficult. There are rules that you follow and if you follow those rules, your kids will be perfect.
Not long after my first son’s first birthday, I realized that I was completely clueless about how to be a mom. My kids have had to bear the weight of my mistakes and inconsistency as I attempt to figure out what works and what doesn’t. After a decade of parenting, I’m getting a pretty good idea of what doesn’t work.
I have a tendency to focus too much on discipline and not nearly enough on enjoying the short time I get to spend with my children. I fear that my children will grow up feeling like our home was all about rules and not about relationships. I hope that in the process of writing this blog I can learn to be more intentional about building relationships and making memories that my children will treasure as they grow.
Oh, wait, were you just looking for a quick bio? Sorry about that. I am a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of four rowdy boys, and have been married to my high-school sweetheart for the last 13 years. When I’m not playing teacher, nurse, cook or maid, I love to read and write.