And Then It Was Over
...just like that my days as a mommy as I knew them were over. And it was all thanks to a tee-shirt. A stupid, Wal-mart special, everyone has one, tacky tee-shirt!
I am well aware how dramatic I can be--and it's my blog so I can complain if I want to!
Gracie had told me she wanted to wear her 2nd Grader t-shirt I had made her for the 2nd day of school. She was supposed to be getting her clothes out and ready for the school day (today) and I was downstairs finishing up.
Minutes later daddy comes down the stairs with Gracie in tow asking about her Kermit the Frog t-shirt.
I won't get into the drama and the "discussion" and my fountain of tears that followed--I will simply say that at the end of the night her daddy told her she could start wearing whatever she wants to to school.
I know she is a "big girl" and I have to give her some freedom--I get that--but I wasn't ready for this one. She wants to look like everyone else, I want her to look nice, clean, respectable and to shine. Not stand out in a finger pointing way--but for her to stand out in a glimmering sort of way. Any child can wear a raggedy old t-shirt!
Now, if you are new here, I am very strict about what my kids wear--especially in public (i.e church and school and social events). I have a long list of "do not wear," but the rule in question was "no printed t-shirts to school." Obviously her school t-shirt was the exception.
I could go on and on about my feelings about how my kids dress. But now, that I have had time to brood and cry and pout and cry some more, I think the bigger question is "what's next?" What rules am I going to have to give up next? What will she go behind my back and talk to her daddy about instead of me? What more independence will she demand?
And more importantly...how do I mother this child? She clearly needs a whole new parenting style.
I am good at preschool and younger. In fact, I am awesome at it! I can help you learn your colors, shapes, ABC's. I will make up fun games and crafts and songs. I have no idea how to be a mother to a 7 year old. The preschool method can't possibly work anymore, and I haven't the slightest idea how to do it. I have to move past colors and counting and move on to self esteem and choices.
I don't guess any mother is prepared for this transition. Then again, most mothers realized they needed to transition long before 7. Of course, there was a time when 7 was 7...and not going on 17!
This all started with a shirt. A stupid, common, printed character t-shirt. I now hate that shirt, and all of them like it in her drawer.
I am well aware how dramatic I can be--and it's my blog so I can complain if I want to!
Gracie had told me she wanted to wear her 2nd Grader t-shirt I had made her for the 2nd day of school. She was supposed to be getting her clothes out and ready for the school day (today) and I was downstairs finishing up.
Minutes later daddy comes down the stairs with Gracie in tow asking about her Kermit the Frog t-shirt.
I won't get into the drama and the "discussion" and my fountain of tears that followed--I will simply say that at the end of the night her daddy told her she could start wearing whatever she wants to to school.
I know she is a "big girl" and I have to give her some freedom--I get that--but I wasn't ready for this one. She wants to look like everyone else, I want her to look nice, clean, respectable and to shine. Not stand out in a finger pointing way--but for her to stand out in a glimmering sort of way. Any child can wear a raggedy old t-shirt!
Now, if you are new here, I am very strict about what my kids wear--especially in public (i.e church and school and social events). I have a long list of "do not wear," but the rule in question was "no printed t-shirts to school." Obviously her school t-shirt was the exception.
I could go on and on about my feelings about how my kids dress. But now, that I have had time to brood and cry and pout and cry some more, I think the bigger question is "what's next?" What rules am I going to have to give up next? What will she go behind my back and talk to her daddy about instead of me? What more independence will she demand?
And more importantly...how do I mother this child? She clearly needs a whole new parenting style.
I am good at preschool and younger. In fact, I am awesome at it! I can help you learn your colors, shapes, ABC's. I will make up fun games and crafts and songs. I have no idea how to be a mother to a 7 year old. The preschool method can't possibly work anymore, and I haven't the slightest idea how to do it. I have to move past colors and counting and move on to self esteem and choices.
I don't guess any mother is prepared for this transition. Then again, most mothers realized they needed to transition long before 7. Of course, there was a time when 7 was 7...and not going on 17!
This all started with a shirt. A stupid, common, printed character t-shirt. I now hate that shirt, and all of them like it in her drawer.
I don't think we are ever really prepared to parent at any age. We learn as we go! I'm certainly learning! I think that parenting is so challenging, yet so rewarding. Barbara, our problem here is that we are both Trapper Keeper Girls. We were nerds. (I still am.) We never struggled with anything academically. In school, all we had to do was read and study a little extra if something was somewhat of a challenge. And boom...success! However, there's no book that we can read and study to help us with parenting. All the studying and reading in the world won't prepare us for the challenges we face as parents. I realized this about a year ago!
ReplyDeleteOne day at a time...one decision at a time....lots of prayer and trust that God will fill in the gaps when we fall short!
ReplyDelete