Yesterday Fortify told me I was the wind beneath her wings. WHERE DO THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF??!!?!?!???!!!!??!! It's been so amazing to watch Fortify excel so much compared to the other children in the neighborhood. I truly don't believe that her talent and grace is a result of MY parenting (OK, MAYBE JUST A LITTLE!!! ;-)). I have been such a lucky mommy to be blessed with four brilliant children, and one more who has so much potential. In order to give back, I thought I would share five parenting tips that I think have really worked with my children:
1. Enter your toddlers in as many competitions as possible! I place all of my girls in infant dance classes as soon as they are old enough to cut their own meat (in our house, that's at about 5 months). The important thing is to make sure your children know that it's completely unacceptable to not perform better than the other children. Tell them you are disappointed in them when they don't outshine the others (fortunately we don't have that problem around our house TOO often!!!).
2. 5:00 AM instrument practice. ALL of my children have been able to play at least two musical instruments since before they could talk thanks to 5:00 AM practices, every single day. And my children LOVE getting up that early to spend time with me!
3. Never allow your children to eat sugar.
4. Encourage your children to correct others when they see something out of place. I'm so proud of Fortify for regularly letting her teacher know when her teacher is not handling the subject matter in the classroom with the poise and mastery that we should demand of our children's educators!
5. Remind your children daily of their exceptionalism over others (but only if it's true).
I hope some of these bits of advice have helped some moms out there!!! I know it's not always easy being a mommy. Sometimes Casper only achieves some of the weekly goals I set for him. Sometimes Casper forgets to pick up his shoes after he gets home from yoga. It's on those days I ask myself, "HOW ON EARTH AM I EXPECTED TO KEEP DOING THIS????? WHY DOES BEING A MOMMY HAVE TO BE SO SO HARD!!!!" But then Fortify will tell me I'm the wind beneath her wings. And I think, "Oh yeah. That's why I do it. That's why I do it."
~I Just Get More Helpful
i hope to be a mom like you. bless your heart.
ReplyDeleteI have tagged you in my latest post - a blog game! That means you're
ReplyDeleteit! The rules are on my page, tag along if you'd like! If you would
rather not, that's totally okay, too! Just wanted to give you the
heads up :
Can't wait to read your "tag - you're it!" post! Hopefully I can send some
people to your little corner of the inter-web. Hope you're having a
great day!
Eli, you are such an AMAZING mother! I seriously do not know how you keep it all together. And with such poise too.
ReplyDeleteShawna, I don't know how I do it either. I only know why I do it (for the attention and praise of others).
DeleteAmazeballs!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou pretty much just gave away all of my secrets for child-rearing. Thanks a lot Eli. Good thing you're a lawyer, because you're going to need one.
ReplyDeleteYou're such a good humble mom! Such a perfect little family. Thanks for the tips :)
ReplyDeleteI know! I think my secret to success is my humility.
Delete