My personal Eeyore

(ramblings of a frustrated mother)

~

That's my Lena. Only in a more dramatic, insistent, and intense way. WHY? I don't know!!!! I guess it's God's little way of making a joke for me. She and I are a lot alike...but then in some ways we are SO different. And it's not only just a joke, I realize, it's a challenge beyond anything I could have imagined out of a child. How does one come straight from heaven with a pessimism in their soul? I mean, REALLY? Isn't young life supposed to be simply filled with butterflies and birdies and ice skates and cotton candy and bright outlooks?

~

As our kids continue to grow out of their shoes faster than I can stand, I am realizing that they are also here to help me develop to become the best that I can be. How, as a parent, can I take her random negativity, (which sometimes makes me want to cry and throw an absolute temper tantrum myself, or worse- get into an all out fight on the level of an opinionated 7 year old) and turn it into something good? At best it can teach us to develop divine amounts of patience, tolerance, optimism (to counter-act the grinchy-goose). I know I am probably on the parent scale of tolerance and patience, not very high. So I suppose it is probably a good thing for me, albeit not a fun thing.

~

I am trying to see the bright side, but how does one deal with a child who wakes up e-v-e-r-y morning and loudly MOANS and Groans that she HATES school and everything to do with it??? (Which I find so baffling to go to her conferences with teachers and they offer GLOWING reports of her!! She is the "perfect" student they say!!And that is a sliver of salvation for her, thankfully.) What's more, I think of the example that is to her younger siblings. I don't want them hating school, too! How does a first grader hate school, anyway??? Her teacher are great, and the school is perfect for her. I am left speechless on it.

~

I began instinctively writing this as a venting of my utter frustration as of late, but upon a second glance.. I feel badly that it might seem that she is worse than she is. One of the things I do know to be true is that when thing are going fine, I tend not write any big posts... but when things are hard.. it is easy to need an outlet for difficulties. So for history's sake... I hope this is seen as a small blip in our day to day existence. Some days are worse than others, just as some days a great.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have introspection, and also to try and take a frustrating situation and make it worthwhile, viewing them as learning experiences- not pointless irritations.