Take a look at this little meatball.
Looks innocent enough, right?
Ha! Think again.
Adorable? Absolutely! Innocent? Hardly.
In fact, this little meatball has been stirring up quite a ruckus around here lately.
He's got this momma frazzled, weary, & down right at my wits end come the end of each day.
He's only a tender age of eighteen months, but let me tell you, he packs a punch in that eighteen month little self of his.
He's figured out that a tantrum in a restaurant will get him out of his high chair {what am I supposed to do, sit there & let him scream while onlookers get me dirty looks?}. He's decided he can purse his little lips shut & refuse to eat his breakfast, lunch, & dinner. Oh but don't worry, he'll open wide for a bite of ice cream, a fistful of goldfish, or a bag of Chipotle tortilla chips. And the latest little struggle we're having--nap time. He has decided that a thirty minute nap will suffice for the entire day. Ummm, no. A thirty minute nap is most definitely not enough sleep for a toddler. Not my toddler, anyways. A thirty minute nap in this house results in a very crabby baby & an even crabbier momma come afternoon & evening. A thirty minute nap leads to Meltdown City. Never been to Meltdown City? Oh, well by all means, stop on by! See what it's all about. You're guaranteed a front row seat to a numerous amount of baby meltdowns, & more than likely a couple of mommy meltdowns, as well. Fun for all, I tell ya.
Parenting, often times referred to as the hardest job in the world. Boy, they weren't kidding, were they?
I've been finding myself in a struggle lately; walking a fine line. Here are all of these characteristics I love about this little boy of mine--his feistiness, his determination, his spunk, his independence, even his bull headedness makes me smile from time to time. I see a leader, someone who makes friends easily, someone who knows exactly what he wants & goes for it. And I love what I see. Not one part of me wants to change those things.
Yet, it's also all of these characteristics that I find myself trying to curb when he's acting out. His strong will working against me, his sin nature, all of his mighty energy used in a negative way--it all makes me want to lower the hammer & nip it in the bud now before that will of his gets too strong for me to handle.
I've got to find the balance.
How do I bend my son without breaking his spirit? How do I nurture the traits inside of him that make him all his own, yet also show him that there is a time & place for that fiery personality? How do I teach him to stay true to himself--the unique & wonderful child that God made him to be, yet also show him that he must respect, obey, & set his own will aside sometimes? How do I encourage him that it's okay to stand in who he is, to question things when they don't feel right in his gut, & to not follow in someone else's footsteps, yet also grow him up to be a respectable citizen that follows the rules & submits to those who have been given authority over him?
I sure haven't got all the answers. All I do know is, that as a parent, I cannot just sit back & wish for the best. It's not called the hardest job in the world because you get to just cross your fingers & hope that your kid turns out okay. It's called the hardest job in the world because it takes work. Hard work. Blood, sweat, & tears kind of work. It means getting in there & getting my hands dirty. It means fighting the battles that seem menial & worthless. It means standing my ground when it would be so much easier to give up & give in. Furthermore, it means falling on my face to the Lord & asking for HIS direction as a mother.
I know that this toddler stage is just the beginning of the many Mommy vs. Meatball days I'm going to have in my journey through motherhood. And from what I hear, the toddler years haven't got squat on the teenage years. Yah I know, I'm in for it.
If you've got a little spitfire of your own & have some great advice, Christian based books, etc...feel free to pass them along & help a momma out!
My frazzled self will thank you.
{Oh & wouldn't you know it...as I type this, Meatball is soundly taking his nap & has been for the past two hours. I guess that little battle I won yesterday at nap time {also known as cry it out}, paid off. Fruits of my labor. It ain't easy, but it's worth it.}
{Oh & wouldn't you know it...as I type this, Meatball is soundly taking his nap & has been for the past two hours. I guess that little battle I won yesterday at nap time {also known as cry it out}, paid off. Fruits of my labor. It ain't easy, but it's worth it.}
My son is only 5 months old and sometimes I already feel like we are at war. :) Being a mom is definitely a full time and hard job. Glad I am not the only one struggling!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteI had 3 babies within 3 years & 3 months time. Talk about hard! I KNOW what frazzled is. (Not only do I stay at home, but I work at home!)
Two of my three are boys. You might want to check these out, both by James Dobson: "Bringing Up Boys" and "The Strong Willed Child".
Every family has one...or two. ;)
You'll make it. Loved those cute pictures of your "meatball".
Sophisticated Steps