Thoughts on Public Parenting

I am so dog tired I can barely keep my eyes open. The thing is that we are headed to a state park in the boonies this weekend, so I feel like if I don’t update the blog tonight, it will be Monday before I get another chance! Do you think I can actually go a whole weekend unplugged?? ha!  Of course I can! Just look at these four little diversions that I have. I’ll be lucky just to get to sit down.

Update on the truck problem: You will all be happy to know that I had several offers from wonderful family members to move the truck. Thank you all so much. We are so blessed.

We have had a great time with my family these past few weeks. Yesterday Mom and I even took them to Water World. I feel like I am officially an Alabamian again, as I am currently sunburnt and covered in mosquito bites. The kids loved Water World. Look for photos of that in my next post!

Where are we headed to this weekend??  A family get-together in rural Georgia. I didn’t get to go last year. Where was I last year??  Oh yeah!

I was at home recovering from a c-section.. 🙂 It was worth it!  🙂

The boys had a blast. There was a lot of this:

cousin time

t-ball

warm and fuzzy wildlife….

Only this year, Alan will be missing, and I will be present. I can’t wait to see everyone!!! It’s been two years for me!! No one will miss Alan more than I will though. Have you ever tried parenting 4 children without Daddy around for weeks on end? Yeah. Not fun. Bleh.

It’s also embarrassing. Four kids is a lot to keep up with. Did you know that I am super easily embarrassed? That’s not a good trait for a person with four small boys! They might be adorable, but as with any children they need a whole lot of direction, training, correction, and so on and so forth. I think they are wonderful kids, and I’m so proud of them. They are well behaved at school, and of course I love them to pieces.

Then all of a sudden, I take them out in front of others, and I notice all of their misbehavior so much more. On a month long vacation like this, you have to always parent on display, minus Daddy, and everyone gets to see your ‘parenting skills’ or ‘lack thereof’ in action. There was one incident at the library the other day, involving Joshua, Daniel, and me….I’d rather just forget…. Other parents in the trenches with you totally get it, but being around people who aren’t up against what we are up against are probably wondering why my kids can’t just sit still and be quiet all the time.

I’m always wishing this could just be easier!! Why can’t these boys fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillow? And why can’t they keep their hands off of each other? Why must the middle two talk so loudly? Why does the oldest one need special food? Why don’t they just do what they are supposed to do and act like little adults???? Why can’t they just be naturally good?? haaaa!

Let’s talk about that.

1. falling asleep: Do you always fall asleep quickly?  If you are sleeping beside your best friend, do you talk and giggle first?

2. inability to keep hands off each other: no idea, ya’ll. How I wish they would learn!!!

3. loud talkers:  yeah….apples come from apple trees….

4. special food: He’s allergic to milk, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts, and cashews. Not even kidding. You can’t make this stuff up. I try to just go sparing on most of those. They tell me he could grow out of it, and we haven’t seen any big reactions to the first 4, but he can’t even touch a peanut or cashew.

5. disobedience…..We are working on it. I promise. We are joking about the little adults, right?

Anyway…Bear with me, and just know this: We are doing our best. Yes, when they are bad, I feel like a total failure. Parenting is a work in progress.  Let’s all just love each other in spite of our messes. Maybe even offer a word of encouragement to a fellow parent-in-the-struggle every once in a while. There’s nothing that feels better than that, is there? After all, we are all just sinners, raising little sinners, and trying to teach them a better way.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.