My Average Child…

“Average Ada” age 2 at the NLC

Keep soaring, our girl!

I can seriously not stop laughing.  My daughter, my firstborn, my pride and utter joy has written two different things that she would like me to help edit.  The first is part one of a children’s book—seriously the cutest book ever.  Can’t wait to share it with you here!

And then.  Then there is her resume.  My daughter is saving all of her gift and babysitting money to buy a phone.  But, as we all know, phones are very expensive.  Well, my little ray of sunshine, my decade plus 2 daughter, will see her Nana and Papa for a few weeks this summer, so she has decided to submit a resume for them.  On her resume, which I won’t share the entire thing, she wrote:  Average student.  If that was not brutally honest enough, the rest would make you laugh out loud.

Things such as:  Good at—Loving her grandparents.  And so much more.

My “Average Daughter” is just so ABOVE AVERAGE in the good feels department!

And, to be fair to her, she studies in the Polish language, all her subjects.  So those average grades are really QUITE impressive for me 😉  Her father and I will take them, at least!  I can barely help her study for her History or Science tests (no smile and wink here).

Oh, my average daughter, I love you so average PLUS much!

Thanks for bringing sunshine to my EVERY DAY!!!!!!!

 

So Forty!

Like I am so overwhelmingly 40 that someone could write a book about 40 based upon my life.

I bloat—and automatically 3 people ask if I’m pregnant.

I say—“No.  I am not pregnant.  Just 40.”

One kind man looked confused and said, “Thirty?”

And I said, “No, 40…And I am not having any more  (bold and underline this, please) children.”

He went on to tell me I still have time for one more…

I went on to tell him a thing or two…(Okay—nice things 😉 ).

I have two small kids and a 10 year old.  The ten year old is an angel because she can shower and brush her teeth all alone.

The others—it’s like, “What’s that?  You need to go on the toilet AGAIN????  Aren’t you still in diapers??????????”  And then I remember that he is officially 4.  So I follow him into the toilet and wipe his little bum after he goes number 2.

The last is like “NOOOOOOO!!!!!!  I do it!”  And if you enter her presence without her permission, she is like “THIS IS MY ROOM!!!!!!”  And if she was not so RIDICULOUSLY the cutest thing walking this earth, it would just not be so cute (smile smile wink wink)  Okay, okay…It’s pretty typical 2 and cute.

And then there are those that days that my little son brings me cookies and I ask, “Did you eat lunch?” And he’s like “No, my tummy is not hungry for food.”  So I open his cookies and send him on his way just so that I can have a spare moment alone to eat my own cookies.

Friends…I am SOOOOO 40!  Beyond, totally 40.

And while I mostly handle it fine—I realize that the babcia in me is starting to sneak out (grandma for those that don’t know what babcia means)…And then I realize that these are not my grandkids but my kid-kids.  I am suppose to be MONITORING their sugar intake —NOT increasing it 😉

Oh me oh my oh my oh me!!!!!

I am Brooke.  And I.AM.FORTY.

Can I take a nap, please?????

Parenting Mistakes? But I like to RAVE!

I just read a really good article on “7 Crippling Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders”.  I really enjoyed it.  It was concise.  As much as I tend to ramble in my writings, I appreciate “concise” in others.  Haha!  Two-way street in my world, eh?

Anyway…I really appreciate the reminders of what we, as parents, can do or not  do- becoming aware of how we can help mold our children into good leaders.

I have to, however, humbly disagree with a portion of the “Rave” aspect of the article.  I have a very non-competitive daughter that would NEVER receive a trophy if one was not given to her because that is the way the world rolls now.  And I am VERY thankful for it.

You see—she doesn’t receive podium status (1st, 2nd, or 3rd)…but she still gets out there and competes.  So I am glad that she receives accolades for even getting out there in the first place.

Will she ever win the tournament?

Heavens no!

But will she have fun and try hard anyway?

Heck ya!

So, I am okay cheering on my fledgling athlete.  I am okay telling her that her art piece is perfection.  And I am okay hugging her if she comes in last, telling her she was the BEST!

Because last is always better than not doing anything at all.

And did she have fun?

That’s all that matters to me.

I am okay if her daddy and I will always be her biggest cheerleaders in life.  Hopefully her “reality of our non-objectivity” will not suffer too many consequences.  I guess we shall see.

Anyhow…Like I said, it was a great article.  A great reminder.  And I am glad that I read it.  I definitely need perspective at times.

Perspective and Coffee.

Both, actually, all the time.

And—as any parent that puts God first would also say—

In the end, raise your children to not only be GREAT leaders—but, first and foremost, great men and women of integrity and a passion for Christ!

Both can co-exist in their lives.  Hopefully yours is proof of that.

Have a click and a read and perhaps you will leave with a bit of new perspective for your day, too!

God bless.

xo b

7 Crippling Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders

Raising the Perfect Child…(Im)Possible?

She was two years old and I had, to that date, already raised her PERFECTLY!

I mean, she was allowed to eat dirt and play in dirt.  She was hardly ever bathed.  And she was never sick.  Never ever.

On top of all of that bacterial goodness, she was just a doll.  Truly angelic.  Take a look:

She watched TV like a good little girl, still took a pacifier, and barely finished nursing 6 months earlier 😉

Potty training?  Not her!  Diapers and running around naked were her joys.

She was pure, golden-curls delight!  Joy of our hearts.  Such a good little girl.

Let me just say, I had a two-year-old, an angelic two-year-old, and I was patting my back in a BIG way.  Like a major pounding.

Pat-pat-pat!  Well done, Brooke, on raising such a FABULOUS kid.

Hold on.  I deserve more accolades.

Pat-pat-pat!  Super job, Brooke!

Why, thank you!  And you.  And you.  And, yes, you over there.  Thank you.  I know I have done such a fabulous job.  Now blow out your two birthday candles, Adelyne, while Mommy writes a book about parenting for all of those unlucky LOSERS out there.

Two.  My angelic, dirty, bacteria eating daughter…My princess.  My joy.  My bragging rights!

And then it happened…

She turned three!

Say what?  You don’t want to listen?

Say what?  You don’t want me to grocery shop—hence you have thrown your body on the ground—in the Polish grocery store—and have started screaming?!  Loudly?!

Kicking too?!

(Groceries in one hand and dragging a child who is dead weight on the floor of the grocery store, kicking, screaming, and general UN-merriment ensues)

Tears making a path across the floor.  Mine, by the way.

Embarrassment?

Nah…Momma don’t have time for that.

Where is that book I wrote on how to raise your perfect child?  BURN IT!

WHO HAS A BOOK I CAN READ?!

And, for the next year, many of my mornings, afternoons, and evenings all looked like the above grocery scenario.  Yes.  Like my own personal radiator here on earth (Did ya catch that???  That means H-E-Double Hockey Sticks).

My sweet and beautiful and angelic (looking) daughter taught me one VERY important thing her 3rd year of life…

Raising the perfect child is impossible…

But loving her anyway—very possible.  Even when she turns into a 6 year old thief.  Stealing from the homeless to give to herself.

What’s that—a thief?

Yep.  You heard me correctly.  A thief.  A grand one at that.

But we’ll save that for another day…I can only handle so much book burning in one day 😉