New Year, New Skills

Happy New Year!!!  It's time to make those New Year's resolutions.  Now is a great time to refocus our parenting skills.  I remember a time when I had to evaluate myself.  I found myself losing my temper and raising my voice a little too often to my little ones.  I didn't want my children to remember their childhood mother as a raving lunatic; so, I evaluated my behavior and decided to allow myself more time to react to situations that stressed me.  I remembered the old sayings "Don't cry over spilled milk!" and "Don't sweat the small stuff!" and these became my new motivation.  Sometimes we get overwhelmed with life's little problems, but we must remember to choose wisely our reactions, especially for our children's sake.  What we do now will affect our children for the rest of their lives.  It will make them who they will become!  So...the next time you catch your child playing in the litter box, cutting sister's hair, or writing on the wall, give yourself a moment...Don't sweat it...Gently, remind your child of the hazard, wash them up, and give them a hug.  This is what you want them to remember...LOVE!