I'm embarrassed to admit it, and its truth pains me, but I'm almost certain the people to whom I've spoken most hatefully are my own children and husband. I've wondered if I'm the only one who does this.
Why do the people I love most receive the worst treatment I have to offer? Thankfully, mean or impatient words are the exception, but with my upcoming , I'm acutely aware of my propensity to speak in a less than loving manner; ironic, because I have such thin skin myself.
Two recent occurrences with my teen boys drove this point home–
• After my oldest son cleaned his room, I opened his closet door; it was no surprise his version of clean didn't match mine. Irritated, I began organizing and cleaning out the war zone, only to be discovered by him mid-way through. He braced for mama wrath, instead caught off guard by my calm (not typical) response. Before all was said and done, we were finishing the work together–happily. I hadn't even asked him to join me.
When children reach their teens, it's easy to think they're unaffected by harsh words. Don't be deceived—your words and tone can wound them deeply. Consider the following:
Thump on the head to ME! I forgot to link to my most recent Simple Mom post, most likely because I was airborne when it went live. I hope you'll click through to continue reading; it's relevant to parenting teens/tweens whenever you have time to finish.
Thanks for the reminder. I realize I have been more than impatient with my oldest lately. The questions he comes up with for every. little. thing pile up and I find myself trying to stomp the pile and not build him up instead.
we want the best for them and from them — and that is why we often get frustrated and upset. But even more, we figure that they love us enough to forgive us?