I Need To Learn To Just Say Thank You and Then Believe It Too

Tonight after my kids' band concert I received a sweet compliment. My kids' Principal turned to my kids and said, "I hope you're parents know what good children you are. You are always so polite and respectful." I was walking a bit behind the kids (holding toddler hands). I called over to her a thank you.

I am often told what good kids I have. I wonder that people think I am better at this parenting thing than I really am. I certainly hope other mothers are not comparing themselves to me. I compare myself to other women. Isn't it awful that I do that? I don't know what is going on in their heads or in their homes any more than they see what is happening in my life. It is really easy to paint a picture of perfection around somebody who is having a good moment.

I think that is why I enjoy reading other blogs so very much. You bloggers share the ins and outs and the good and the bad. The blogs I enjoy the most are such refreshingly honest places to visit. It gives me a moment to reflect on my life and realize I'm not that far from normal. That normal really does encompass bad days for some pretty amazing people.

On occasion, when I have received a glowing compliment, instead of Thank You..I want to rush into how my kids really aren't always so wonderful. I don't do this tho. Because after all, just because I see the tougher moments in my kids' lives, it doesn't mean that they aren't pretty special. So, they should never hear me disagree with anyone about how sweet, kind and polite they are. I wouldn't ever want them to think I don't appreciate their good public behavior.

Still, it can be tough to smile and take a compliment when I have been battling my daughter over telling lies. Oh, how it hurts to be lied to by my child. They should market a salve for that hurt. Somebody would get rich off it. Those giving the compliments don't see how my kids fight and argue or just outright disobey sometimes.

But...I would benefit by seeing my children through other peoples eyes sometimes. I think that is the biggest thing that came to mind tonight as agreed and Thanked the Principal. I do have good kids. They deserve the right to struggle through some things at times just as I do.

When I look at my kids, I not only see who they are, but who they could become. It is so frustrating when they fight against those potentials. I wonder tho, if seeing what they could become doesn't at time prevent me from appreciating who they are right now. Maybe I've just stumbled onto the biggest trial of parenthood.

My kids all did very well in their band and chorus concerts tonight. I am very proud of them. My little boys sat with me very well. We had to wait for a half hour before the concert began and they were both so well behaved. They got a bit tired of it all by the end (but so did I shhh).

I know I'm a bit all over in these thoughts. Sometimes that is how it works for me as I'm thinking through an idea. Eventually, I might get it straight, but for now this resembles my mind's working better than a finely crafted post.