I just finished watching the four interviews, and they were a blessing to me. I am challeged further to review my motives and general attitudes toward work and motherhood. Thanks! Always positively inspired and challenged by Femina!
Thank you! Rachel has been so exhortative(?) and encouraging to me this past year. One re-occurring question I have is what are some practical ways to cultivate a sense of humor about the chaos and intensity of the many-small-children stage of mothering? There is just so much emotional and relational drama; So much conflict; So much need that seems impossible to meet; It doesn’t feel funny. It feels like life and death; or failure; or on-going disappointment on all sides. I know we are to serve with joy and gladness and good cheer (hope). What are some practical ways to become that kind of mother (wife, person)? (It feels like this is so important and needs to happen NOW — I want my kids to know, to feel like I love mothering them, not like it is killing me.)
Hey, Sarah.
Here’s one thing I hit on. Smiling, a warm, affectionate tone of voice, and physical affection go a long way to having a breakthrough when things get tense or rough. These things are free, not time-consuming, and they powerfully affect children. Take a child you’re having conflict with or one that’s in a stinky mood and sit down with him on the couch, give him big hug, scratch his back, look in his eyes and smile and both of you will regain your perspective and relax. Sometimes children feel frazzled and drained like we do and need their tanks filled with some affection. I try to remember to smile at my kids regularly and give them a big greeting and hug when they get up in the morning. We moms are so busy, we sometimes walk around frowning all day as we’re concentrating on getting our work done and we don’t realize how much our kids need our smiles and warmth. I had to deliberately focus on developing this habit when I realized how important it was to my children to have a cheerful, affectionate mother.
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I just finished watching the four interviews, and they were a blessing to me. I am challeged further to review my motives and general attitudes toward work and motherhood. Thanks! Always positively inspired and challenged by Femina!
Thank you! Rachel has been so exhortative(?) and encouraging to me this past year. One re-occurring question I have is what are some practical ways to cultivate a sense of humor about the chaos and intensity of the many-small-children stage of mothering? There is just so much emotional and relational drama; So much conflict; So much need that seems impossible to meet; It doesn’t feel funny. It feels like life and death; or failure; or on-going disappointment on all sides. I know we are to serve with joy and gladness and good cheer (hope). What are some practical ways to become that kind of mother (wife, person)? (It feels like this is so important and needs to happen NOW — I want my kids to know, to feel like I love mothering them, not like it is killing me.)
Hey, Sarah.
Here’s one thing I hit on. Smiling, a warm, affectionate tone of voice, and physical affection go a long way to having a breakthrough when things get tense or rough. These things are free, not time-consuming, and they powerfully affect children. Take a child you’re having conflict with or one that’s in a stinky mood and sit down with him on the couch, give him big hug, scratch his back, look in his eyes and smile and both of you will regain your perspective and relax. Sometimes children feel frazzled and drained like we do and need their tanks filled with some affection. I try to remember to smile at my kids regularly and give them a big greeting and hug when they get up in the morning. We moms are so busy, we sometimes walk around frowning all day as we’re concentrating on getting our work done and we don’t realize how much our kids need our smiles and warmth. I had to deliberately focus on developing this habit when I realized how important it was to my children to have a cheerful, affectionate mother.