So, todays' my birthday....

I remember last year my kids asked why I have to go to work.  It was my birthday, I should get a day off!!

I like the way they think!  It would be nice if the sea's of life parted and let us through for one day to celebrate our birthdays.

But alas....it doesn't work that way.   Kind of like a lot of things in life.   We idealize when we are younger, we romanticise......and then we grow up and get smacked in the face time and again with the realities of life!!  Only the strong survive, I tell ya!

I have learned so many lessons in life, and I'm still learning.

But I still have that burning question in my mind; WHEN did I get SO FAR from the child I was to be a stuffy, cautious old bag????

As we get older, we grow our ability to see things a few steps ahead.  And it's a good skill to have, believe you me!!

However, cautiousness kind of makes the way for "just say no" in parenthood.  Kids are hounding for "Want Want Want" and parents get so tired of hearing it that all the time and they just start saying "NO" as a knee jerk reaction

I remember when I was a younger mom, my sister (re) directed a book to me called, "Children are worth it".  It talked about the negative power of saying no to children all the time.  It discussed other options like, "Convince me why I should consider that" and instead of saying, "No", consider, "Later". 

I've said it before' parenting isn't for sissies or the faint of heart.  Kids come at you all times of the day and night.  And when there are siblings, they play off each other taking parents down one by one!!!  So it becomes easy really fast to say NO all the time.

However, I have caught myself in cutting my kids short when they have a valit point.  So, I have to stop myself sometimes and get out of the stodgy old mommy routine and actually listen to the possibilities of what the kids are saying. 

Kids are definitely people too.  And I think until you get to grandparenthood you don't realize how important it is to stop and think like a kid.  Which is a shame.  Because kids see things in a way that we USED to see them.  And if we want to connect with our "inner child" we should slow down more and remember that we need to have fun too!!

And though I can't do that today, because I can't wip work off my slate; I will certainly incorporate it as often as possible!!

Happy Thursday!