I try so hard to tell my kids to be positive. Especially my daughter, who has the personality to dwell rather than move on and has the ability to find more negative in a situation than any positive. I am not sure how many times a day I encourage them to think more positive and to BE positive, but I truly wonder if they can sense that behind my words.....I dwell on negative too. I worry, ponder, think deeply, and analyze many situations through out my day. When it comes to kids, I want them to think positive, because I am sure that I have enough the negative down for all of us. No practice needed.
My daughter has been bullied most of the year by a girl she's known since pre school. I tried taking the positive route....now I am done. Even after switching classes and having it handled at the school, she still finds ways to make snide remarks to my daughter. Lord, help me, sometimes I wish I was a 4th grader and I could head to school with a handful of smart little comebacks for this little girl. Alas, I can not.So, instead of dwelling on it....I try to make solutions. Of course, I can not "fix" someone else's child and definitely not the parents. But I can teach my daughter right from wrong. I can teach her how to stand up for herself and not be treated like a doormat. I can remove her from any situation as I see fit, like not parking my car anywhere near the girl's mother after school, so that R can walk to the car without hearing her name in the little girl's conversations behind her. I also can not fight every battle but I have found myself what some might consider a "helicopter" mom more times than I would like to count this year. Especially, when it came to threats at my son's junior high. Is it any wonder that I am pretty much done considering sending my youngest son to our public kindergarten this year?
See...all of that negative thinking. So, to repair my thought process I am going to make a list for myself of positive thoughts.
- All 3 of my kids are healthy
- I am married to a man who has watched me grow from an 18 year old girl to a 31 year old wife, woman and mother....and still loves me.
- I have been able to stay at home with my children, albeit a few fun part time jobs to shake things up a bit every few years.
- My children all still love to show me affection.
- My almost 13 year old son still tells me he loves me when he hangs up, even on the athletic bus on the way to games.
- My husband loves me. He truly loves me.
- I love him. Deeply.
- I still have one living grandparent and he is amazing.
- My father had a heart transplant! A heart. Transplant. Miracle!
- I am blessed with family. Biological, step and extended.
- We own a home.
- I can walk.
- I can pray....freely.
- My sister...she's the greatest.
- My mom has taught me so much.
- My youngest son loves to grab me by both sides of my face and kiss me smack on the lips and tell me he loves me.
- My husband is the best father I have ever met. He is involved with the kids in every single way and wouldn't have any other way.
- I have food in my refrigerator and pantry.
- I have heat when I am cold and air conditioning when I'm hot.
- My daughter loves to leave me notes on her whiteboard.
- I can read.
- I have clean water.
- I live in the United States.
- I have health insurance.
There are so many more......but this way when I start drifting into the Sea of Negativity I can come back and look at my list....and maybe even add some more to it.
HAPPY MONDAY! And if you must....fake it til you make it.
I am so sorry to hear about your daughter! I cannot imagine how painful and difficult that must be! I'll be praying about that. I love your list, xoxo
ReplyDeleteP.S. I tagged you, check it out and play along http://danna-3pinkcupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/01/tag-youre-it.html