I found a photo of Ivy that I had never posted from a photo shoot in the spring and it's just the cutest thing and I can't get my scanner to work. The error screen keeps flashing at me. It's so annoying. 
Our days have been full. Waking much too early and heads hitting the pillow very late. We go to the park almost every day. Yesterday we were the only ones there. I spread out a blanket and we looked for four leaf clovers and ate graham crackers. Ivy went down all the slides (with Noah at the bottom to catch) and I even went down one with her. Carter got his football stuck in a tree. I later dug a piece of that football out of Ivy's mouth.
Today I promised to take them to a park we pass on the way to our regular playground and they always beg to go to but it's super crowded and has a lot of blind spots.
I realized yesterday that I am that Mom that tells the kids not to yell at the park. And no running! (at the park.) And be careful this and watch out that.
I'm working on it, because, for real, kids should be able to be loud and run and act like wild animals outside.
And so we're going to the park today where I might not be able to see them everysinglesecond and they might run and shout and who wants a Mother who's a constant error message? She's so annoying.
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June 17, 2009
This isn't what I sat down to write.
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46 comments:
Funny, sometimes I feel like I am always saying no or correcting my children and I have to say STOP, WAIT -- they are kids, lets allow it to be!
I'm like this too, a lot. Thanks for the reminder that kids need to be kids, scraped knees, dirt and all.
Ah Steph, we ALL struggle with that. :)
You know what though? Parenting becomes a lot more fun when you don't have the auto-correct on sometimes.
You're doing a great job!
a constant error message.
ugh, that hit home.
I'm "that" mom too, and as I work on it I find I like myself a lot more...
I always tell my boys to yell and run as much as they can outside. If they do that, they won't yell and run so much INSIDE. :)
That's totally me too.
I'm a hovering mama, too. Hard to find the balance of being the protector, teacher, and etiquette instructor and letting them just get all that energy that could power a large city out of their systems. glad you've had so many park days. we've had lots of rain, and we don't go on the days that I work. I need to at least let my son run around the backyard once a day---I regret we don't always get to do that either.
Your posts always make me feel so 'normal'. Thank you for that. :)
I'm 'that' Mom too, and a constant work in progress.
Stacy
I can't imagine I won't hover over Wes every waking second, though I know it's important to give them room, but oh my, so much crazy stuff can happen, no?
I have this book on my list though: http://www.amazon.com/Free-Range-Kids-Children-Freedom-Without/dp/0470471948/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245248661&sr=8-1
Hahha, I loved that! ANd I have been trying to find my camera cord so I can download pictures of my baby carriers, but I just can't find it anywhere :( boo! And I wish it wasn't so hot here in Mobile already; it got up to 100 yesterday, yikes!
That is me too. Seriously I'm constantly telling my boys not to do this and not to do that. Thanks for the reminder. I guess we should just let them play without constant interruption from us. ;)
I'm the opposite: I let them do their own thing as long as I can see them overall. I think you just have to do what works for you and your comfort level.
love the leg warmers!...and nice job with the dresses, aborable!
Thanks for the reminder...I tend to be the overly cautious mother as well.
Great photo!
You are such a good momma for taking them to the park every day. They will always remember this. Sounds like a good start to a good Summer.
You're such a good mommy! You're taking 4 kids to the park and enjoying time with them and not making them sit at home and watch tv all day. You are doing great...your kids will thank you for not letting them be crazy all the time!
This is something I am working on, too. My fear of them getting hurt can get in the way of them exploring and learning on their own. Thank God my husband is a perfect man to balance me out.
You ARE a good mom, like others said. Just look at those smiling faces they have. ;)
Sorry I missed you again. We seem to be free tomorrow and Friday if you are out?
Jen
I love this post. I am like that too though, always telling them to slow down, be careful or something. I loved the error message mom mention. Thanks for reminding me to calm down, I need that.
Oh, I hear you! :) Thanks for the reminder...
Hope you all have fun! You know being loud and obnoxious and so forth... ; )
Letting go and letting them be kids is hard. You aren't losing control, you are letting them fly.
Haha! A perfect post for me to read. Thank you. :)
i feel ya on this post. i battle with being the error message, but it's mainly out of courtesy. i'm not a mom w/ many rules, but i do want my children to think about how other people feel.
and when we were at that exact (too big and too many blind spots) park the other day, i couldn't believe the disrespect parents allowed for their children to have for others. there were several preteen boys running, actually sprinting, up and down the stairs, slides and bridges...yelling...and playing tag. they did something i can't even get into here to a little girl w/ crutches and had my 2 year old too scared to even attempt climbing the stairs to slide. at some point, i figured they must have just been dropped off. until...they're dad began sprinting up and down the stairs joining in, too!
i'm all for fun....but honestly, go play in the field and let the little kids slide.
okay, this got really long...sorry! too bad yesterday didn't work for us....you had the park to yourself again?!
Good for you. I was always a bit conservative with B but when I met my hubby he taught me to relax a little and let them be kids. They will be fine even if you can't see them every second. Just watch the exits from the park ;-)
OHMYGOODNESS I am the exact same way. The exact same way. I'm always afraid the kids are going to bother somebody else. I'm so worried about others and not so much about their own happiness...
Sounds like some fun days at the park!
I'm THAT mom, too! So, you aren't alone!
Yummy--football!! :) I read somewhere to tell your kids to stay where-get this- they can see you. At 3, MAM totally gets it, and it makes big, crowded parks a little easier. Hope everyone had fun!!
Great analogy! I'm that way too, telling Wog to be quieter while he's playing IN OUR YARD! I'm working on it too, but it's a slow process for me.
Awwww - you sweet thing! I love that you are so honest with yourself and your readers.
That is funny that you tell them not to run at the park! LOL
But... if it running far ahead where you can't see them, I can see doing that. And if Jackson is being really loud and obnoxious, I would tell him to quiet down too.
{{{HUGS}}}
The best thing my hubs ever did for me was to force me to stay more than an arm's reach away from Giggles when she was at the park when she was nearly 3. She had a blast and after my initial freak out I enjoyed her exploring the park.
I need to make that last line my new mantra...so perfect!
Ouch. I had one of those 'constant error message' realizations today. I never thought I'd be that mommy. At least I'm not the only one working on that one!
Love the pic you posted, even if it wasn't the one you meant to. :)
I go through stages of yelling and scolding and then be overly permissive. It can't be easy for my kids to figure me out...
Great post!
My kid can't run or move of her own accord yet, but I hope to keep the 'error message mom' syndrome in check!
I often find myself telling my oldest to "quiet down" when we're outside with lots of people. I should let her run, play, and be loud shes outside!
Oh I am joining the auto-corrector club... I have got much better at letting them be themselves - running, screaming, thrilling! But I think if it's irritating me then it must be irritating others - actually I have discovered that mom's are very focused on their own kids and not so much on ours. I consciously say in my head "let them be kids, let them be kids..." and then read a book or have a conversation with the nearest kidlet to distract myself! We all have more fun when I am not bossing everyone around.
I am not sure how I will be when Greg is of the crawling, walking & running age....since so far I have been quite lax with him, I hope to remain so but ths post shows me that most of tend to over react for nothin :)
It's a fine line - you want to raise likable, polite, respectful kids, but also you want them to get to be KIDS, and yes, go WILD sometimes. I'm a constant blinking error message too, and think I need to learn how to be more PROACTIVE (set the expectations, teach the right stuff) than REACTIVE (Correct the "bad" stuff, "Don't do that!" blah blah blah). Seems like that'd be more fun and effective and keep everybody happier and more positive and let them just be *themselves* within the context of proper and civil behavior.
I think the best part of living so close to my folks is that they really took the kids should be kids outdoors thing to the max - and they would never stand for me cautioning our own. Our neighbor has two girls - around 9 and 11 if I had to guess - and they are constantly telling them to be quiet and not run outside.
When they come over to visit our dog, I'm all "Yeah, you guys go run around and scream as loud as you can. We'll clean you up later. Enjoy the dog slobber." Lol.
I know you can't help worrying. I wonder what I'll be like with my own when my parents aren't around to swat me over the head with common sense...
If you're an error message...I'm the blue screen of death. :)
I find myself saying "no" a lot already to our one year old. Thanks for reminding me to say "no" when it matters, and let him be a kid.
Well, I hope you guys ran and screamed and had lots of fun!!
Yeesh I am that Mom as well. I am CONSTANTLY on Bubbalu's case for something or the other. I am just TO conscious of what others may think.
Time to let down my guard a bit and have some fun :)
I think we're all sometimes like that... we're just so worried about trying to keep them safe.
It sounds like you've been having a fantastic time though.
Have fun at that new park!
I love that you went down the slide with Ivy. I go down the slide with my 2-year-old all of the time...and I always wonder if other moms will think I'm crazy. But I do it anyway. :)
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