Enjoy Your Children!

     A dear friend from my church commented to  me: "Oh, it must be fun  around your house!"  I gave her a puzzled look, and she said: "The excitement!  Christmas is coming!"  My first thought was: "Excitement?  How about exhaustion!"  But before the words could come out, she simply said: "These are good times.  Enjoy it.  They will be gone before you know it.  I miss those times when the kids were small.  There is nothing like children and the wonder of  Christmas".

     Wow.  This dear lady put so much into perspective in  just a few simple sentences.  Enjoy it.  I struggle with the enjoyment of my children, and I am constantly asking myself "Why?"  I loved every minute of my 16 year old's childhood, why can't I marvel at my 6 and 4 year old's? 

     Here are a few reasons:

1. I am ten years older.  Chasing after young children is a lot easier for a 30 something mother than one who over 40.

2. There are two of them.  Erin  was an only child for so long.  Having two young children brings disagreements, varying needs for assistance with dressing, getting ready for going outside (these few days, I think of the mother from the movie "A Christmas Story" as she bundled the two kids up for school; a major task in  the cold weather months!"), each "needs" me constantly, it seems.

3. I am too task oriented.  I make way too many mental lists of things to  do, and get frustrated when I can't complete everything.

4. I have more things on  my plate.  My mother lives with my family.  We have a large house in need of constant renovation.  I volunteer, in  the schools, as part of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, and in  our church.

5. I am trying to make a career change.  I recently became a certified personal trainer, and am trying to  figure out how to  create a dream job of assisting individuals to  change their lives by becoming healthy via healthy diet and exercise.

6. I am trying to just make ends meet.  Since leaving the work force full time, I am seeking part time opportunities to pay the bills comfortably, while allowing me to  spend time on my family and the needs of the household.

In summary, trying to  juggle it ALL.

      Jobs will come and go.  My children are only children for a short time.  My friend Betty has made me take some simple steps to  truly enjoy my family.

1. Breathe!  Hand things over to  a Higher Power; things will work out, in  time.

2. Allow some extra time for "tasks", and create enjoyment from these experiences.  Yes, it takes me a lot less time to  bake cookies alone, but allowing some extra time to include the kids creates moments of magic!

3.  Don't get bogged down by "stuff".  If my holiday cards go out late, my friends and family will not mind!

4. Give my presence before  presents.  I remember the time my mother spent with me, I really can't name any gifts from my childhood.

5. Look at the world through their eyes.  I now share in  the excitement of each morning's daily sighting of The Elf on The Shelf.

6. Listen.  My kids are so  funny, in  what they say, draw, and dream about.  I take the time to listen to  whatever crazy song they are working on, or story from  school. 

I hope these ideas help you.  And I am thankful to  my friend Betty for opening my eyes to  my children.  Happy Holidays!