Alright I am about to make a big confession, here we go. Sundays are not my favorite day of the week. Gasp, sigh, shock, I may even be struck by lightening as I type this. I know that they should be, but honestly sometimes they just aren't! Why can't there be a little more of this:
And a little less of this:
Ok so maybe I exaggerate just a little, but sometimes it sure feels like it. We moved to 9:00am church which is great for nap time and lunch issues. But Keith has an early morning meeting before, so I have to get up and get the 4 kids fed, dressed and ready. He comes back in time to help me finish up and then we head off to get there early and get a seat in the chapel. Our Ward is so big you have to get there early for an actual pew in the chapel. My kids just seem to do better than on the chairs in the gym. Then of course is the ultimate feat of trying to keep 4 kiddos reverent. This is where things seems to go downhill. Ella is 18 months and will not hold still for anything. The other three try really hard, but it is like something possess them making them incapable of sitting and listening. I have seen them sit for an hour and watch a movie without moving a muscle so I know it is possible! So for the whole Sacrament meeting I have mom anxiety trying to keep them as reverent as possible without bribes or threats (hey maybe that's my problem). I always feel like everyone is looking at us thinking, "It is like WWF over there on the Tracey row." I try not to compare families becasue everyone's situation is so different and I know we are not the only one's who feel the struggle. Our Ward Conference was this month and the theme was "Reverence". The speakers were very direct and so I left with more mom guilt over our reverence. Why can't there be a conference titled, "Don't worry so much you're doing a good job and your kids will turn out okay." Of course by the time we get home I rush to make lunch because the crew is starving. It has been so cold here that we can't go outside for a walk to burn off some energy. So by the time the evening rolls around the natives are seriously restless and I am spent! Alright, sorry to unload so much, but deep down there is this little part of me that clings to a tiny hope that someday Sunday will be a day of rest for me!
8 comments:
Pamela I can't thank you enough for posting this! I kid you not, just 2 days ago I was crying to Nate about the same thing. Literally. I feel like the only mom who can't keep her kids in check during sacrament meeting. They are good kids, but for some reason they can't keep still in church. I look up to you in so many ways, you are so amazing, so to know that you struggle just like me (ya I know we aren't suppose to compare, but ..) it makes me feel like maybe there are other parents out there that struggle with reverence in church. I know your kids are great, you are doing great and they will turn out ok. I hope someday we will look back and have no memory of how hard this kids in church thing was, but until then know you are not alone and I think you are AMAZING!! (I am so glad you are my sister in law!)
is your blog private? did I get an invite?
i haven't seen your blog in ages and just thought you were busy - but you have been blogging your business!
amen on the sunday thing!
we finally started having reverent practice each day, it has helped tons. i would imagine every parent feels this way, i am in primary and struggle. i finally started doing things i used to do to help me feel the spirit in church. the mental prep has helped me, and my kids don't seem so crazy anymore.
glad to know my sunday's are similar. Let's just say it's 'normal' for the time being. haha It's really too bad I only have 2 kiddo's though.
Brett is currently looking for jobs! We have been looking at opportunities in New Mexico, because we really wouldn't mind ending up there. :0) We kinda like it! We'll hopefully be outta here by June! That's the plan anyway. You never know.
It's so funny how we all feel like everyone is looking at us, but in reality, everyone is feeling the same and keeping their own kids quiet(at least i hope:)). I feel your exact pain more often than I'd like:) Aaron started this great thing where if the kids are bad in church, they have to sit in a chair for a long period of time and watch conference or something without talking or getting down and if they do, their time starts over. It has worked wonders for sacrament, home teachers etc...although, we still definitely have our moments. You are amazing and I've always thought that your kids are very well behaved. Thanks for the great post so I know I'm not the only one and we can all bounce ideas off each other.
Oh Pamela, if you only knew how many times I have asked myself, "is it even worth it to be here right now?" No one is listening, the bathroom and the drinking fountain just keep calling them, or they sit on the floor, they try to see how far away they can get from me before I chase them back. Then, getting them all to class is a joke. My 2 youngest hate Nursery, and now 1 has moved up to Sunbeams, so the youngest hates Nursery even more.
The tears that are shed every Sunday are not just from my kids! When my kids get up and ask if we are going to church, I always want to ask them what kind of a mood they are in and if we are all going to make it through it without a hitch, then I will decide if we are going or not!!!
Don't count yourself on the side of bad children, I look around sometimes and think, well, at least my kids are not doing that! I always try to find someone who has it worse than I do, then I feel better about myself!!!!
Did you go private? I haven't gotten a feed in my google reader lately. It's a good thing you told me to check out your blog! I can't believe I've missed so much!
I'm so sorry that your Sundays are like that! And people wonder why we stopped at two kids...
I jest.
Sort of. I really admire you and all the things you do for your kids. And yes, you are doing a great job and they will turn out fine! I'll come and ask you for some pointers sometime next year if we decide to add to our brood. :)
I find that I personally get more out of sacrament meeting the Sundays I spend much of the time in the mother's lounge nursing.
You rock! Carry on . . . you're still my hero when it comes to patient motherhood.
I believe firmly in "negotiating" with fruit snacks and string cheese.
That was too funny. The picture hit my giggle bone. That is exactly how I feel most of the time. It is so hard to know or feel like all this work we are doing is really even making a dent.
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