The following was a favorite rhyme around our house when our two oldest children were still into reading board books. It’s gone by now, and we are onto Harry Potter and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but the rhyme rings true to me as I think about the rhythm of life with kids in tow.
Train chugs… clickety clack ,
Engine upfront… caboose in back
Passing cows… Moooo
Over the river… Whooo Whooo
Chugging vs Cruising
In the world of parenting, there seems to be two speeds:
- Chugging through the changes wondering if we’ll ever get through this terrible stage or
- crusing quickly through our days barely pausing to look around at the wonderful scenery of our lives.
The uphill battle of making a change in our child’s behavior response or routine can seem overwhelming as we are right in the middle of it. But the good news is…We can get through these changes and wipe our brow as we speed away from the mountain behind us saying Whooo… Whooo….
To stay on the right track, keep these things in mind:
- Know where you are headed… Use your family’s vision or goals to design your expectations for the trip. Knowing what you expect and where you want your children to be in terms of behavior helps you to see the value in the extra effort you will put forth during this part of your parenting journey. Seeing the station on the other side of the mountain might just give you the extra boost you need to make it up the hill.
- An object in motion stays in motion… As long as we have the energy to get started and we keep it up… “I think I can , I think I can, ” we will stay in motion and eventually make it to the top. This energy means we have to take care of ourselves, we have to dig into all our resources (books, friends, past experiences and family support) and use them to help us push through to the goal which is well behaved children. “I know you can!”
- Keep positive… On your way up the hill ….“Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack”….. it may feel like you are about to break down, but if you look closely, you will notice the scenery changing. Even the smallest positive step in the right direction should be noted… Tell yourself, “I did it… I kept my cool and didn’t show any emotion when I was frustrated with Johnny’s behavior.” Or tell your child, “Wow, I noticed how you listened on the first time.” Catching every single one of these positives will give you and your child a little more momentum to keep chugging.
There is not doubt about it… the tough times will keep coming,but they may seem a little less overwhelming when we keep these things in mind.