WORST MOM DAYS

Have you ever had just one of those days you wish you could "do over"? You know, one of those, worst mom ever days. I frequently have these...its so embarrassing, humiliating, and shameful at times. For instance, today was one of those days. Between a couple of phone calls that were quite stressful, managing 4 children ages 1-3 (two are mine, and two I watch) who were getting into everything or fighting over every thing, stresses and concerns about up and coming things...lets just say I had "a moment". For the "umpteenth" time, my toddler cried and wanted her baby wrapped up tighter in her blanket (she is very particular about this, it has to be PERFECT, and once she collects her, it loosens a bit, so I have to redo this...URG). So imagine my stress load at this moment!!! I took the baby doll and in my frustration walked into the kitchen and "attempted" to wrap her. I got so flustered I took it out on the doll (lets just say, not in a very cool and collective way...I know, horrible!!). When I turned around, there my daughter is, looking up at me with tears in her eyes and her face as though she was a deer in headlights.

I felt horrible, I was disgusted with myself. She began to cry and tell me (well, scold me) that hitting isn't nice! I got down on my knees, looked her in the eyes, appologized and asked for her forgiveness. Then I proceeded to kiss the baby and appologize to it as well.

That's it, though isn't it?! When we mess things up, and you know you will, it is only natural...the key is to appologize, restore and move forward. In these moments we become "real" to our kids. We can turn these moments into life lessons and spiritual focus. It will never fully remove the feeling of "lousy mother", or prevent it ever from happening again (though I wish), but it sure is good to remember God's grace, love and acceptance of us, when we are so undeserving, and how we can model that "realness" to our children.