Trust me, there are days that I want a Mulligan...a complete do-over. Especially those days that the girls are fighting and I tell them that if they can't get along then one of them will have to go live somewhere else. Or those days when we just finish cleaning their room and then they proceed to make more of a mess then it was in the first place and I FLIP my lid and yell more than I ever should. Those days are rough and I am thankful for another chance to do it again the next day.
But some days I get it right. Some days I know that my girls are going to grow up to be well adjusted individuals...or at least I hope.
1. They always think they look great.
Seriously. My 4 year old can pick out the most hideous, mismatched outfits possible and she still thinks she looks fabulous. My 7 year old thinks that everything looks pretty on her...she will even say, "Doesn't this look so cute?" They are confident and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure they stay that way.
2. They are well liked.
I don't give a rat's ass about popularity. Being popular doesn't mean much. But I do appreciate that my girls have friends and are well liked by their peers. This indicates to me that they are kind to others and in turn, people like them.
3. They look out for each other.
Don't get me wrong, they fight almost as much as they get along...but they also have each other's backs. My husband always tells them to look out for each other and stand up for one another. And I think they do this. The older two certainly look out for their almost 2 year old sister. I pray that it stays this way. I have a little image of them being close friends when they are all older and I really hope that becomes a reality.
4. They are up my ass.
These girls will not leave me alone at times. I am not saying this like it's a bad thing...but honestly, the youngest would probably permanently attach herself to me if she could. So I can't be doing all that bad if they want to be around me. Or maybe it's the fact that I am easily convinced to give them ice cream cones at 8 am on a Saturday morning. Who knows.
People with older children say to enjoy this because soon enough they won't want a thing to do with me. I know with three daughters there will come a day when everything I say and do repulses them. So until that day, I will try to appreciate all of the togetherness, all day...every day.
5. They are happy.
They truly are happy. All of the teachers at my 7 year old's school say that they never see her not smiling. She is always happy to be there. Now she might not always be smiling for me but she is a happy kid and her younger sisters are happy girls too. My wish for them is that they remain as happy and carefree as possible...for as long as possible.
At the end of the day, all I can do is try to be the best parent I can be. And if I fail, I can try again the next day. I can also have a glass of wine when they go to bed. So there's that too.
Nice job, momma!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are doing a great job and can relate a bit with being the mom to two little girls (2 and 3 years old).
ReplyDeleteApplause mama! Way to go. Yes, my son was a velcro child. He's not so much up in my ass, but he's still pretty much my favorite, so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteAnd raising children to be pleasant around others and liked by their peers and grown ups in charge is huge- HUGE.
As the mom of 3 girls myself, mine are 23, 18 and 17, I loved your story. It sounds just like me. My kids love/hate each other, always want to be with me, we go everywhere as a team. I am divorced for a few years and I tell them always, we are all we've got. They are kind people, polite to adults and do very well in school, people always say that they are so kind and considerate. I must be doing at least one thing right <3 you too.
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