The Peacock Door: What I'm Learning As A Parent

This is a little break from design and decor today, but I think it's so important. I love reading and hearing what others learn as parents so I thought I would share a little of what I have learned.

I have a sweet son that wakes up nicely and once he’s up, he’s up. Not in a bad mood but not particularly in a good mood. He’s awake and doing what he is supposed to do: getting dressed, packing his backpack for school, and completing morning chores. Sometimes he even makes my protein shake for me or goes out and heats up the car when it’s cold. It’s so nice.

On the other hand, I have a little girl that is soooo much like her mama in the mornings it’s scary! You see, I don’t like mornings – I never have. They are pretty, sunrises are great and I can appreciate that, but I would rather be sleeping. I’ve never been super mean in the mornings but I honestly prefer it silent and with a giant cup of coffee. No talking, no questions, not even music…please just let me get conscious in silence. My daughter is the same way. She doesn’t want you to remind her of instructions, it takes her a while once she’s awake to even get out of her bed, and if she wants to sit there and stare at the floor just leave her alone pretty please. Often mornings end up with her running out the door with un-brushed hair and in tears…even if I had gotten her up 30 minutes early.

For a while now it has been my goal in life to make her giggle herself awake. I go in and snuggle her and sing good morning songs that my own mother annoyed me with as a child and see if I can’t coax a smile out of her as her eyes open. My intension was to make sure that even though her little life feels hard sometimes that her mornings with her mama were always good things.

Funny how we can start out doing something for someone else and it can turn into something completely amazing for us personally. Because in making an effort to make her smile and start her day off good, I start my own off good as well. I giggle with her, get snuggled in return, and my mornings are ten thousand times better than they used to be. It has also changed my perspective on their achievements.

I don’t get as many moments with my children as I used to. The adjustments we’ve had to make in this past year have been hard on everyone. It’s not just big things that had to change, it was a ripple effect. Big things affected smaller things and those affected other small things and it kept going forever it seemed. That’s hard for anyone to adjust to, but with young kids it seems to hit them over and over and at unusual times.

With all that adjusting it’s been amazing to see what can happen. The moments are more precious because they are fewer. The conversation is deeper because of the content. The little adjustments are discussed so we are all on the same page. So while I’m trying to be their mother and teach them about life, they are constantly teaching me things as well. My son is showing me that he is learning certain responsibilities and is taking control of them. My daughter is showing me that her heart is still full and open and innocent, but teachable.

I am learning that these are amazing things to watch happen. I’m learning to stop and acknowledge some of the little things in life as the most potent. I’m learning to see what they are accomplishing and when I get frustrated that they won’t obey or that my daughter still will not clean her room, I can pause and see what they actually have learned to do.