Whether your daughter is two years old or twelve, you've no doubt learned by now that you have a job much more complicated than you ever dreamed. It's as though you barely start getting a decent night's sleep when your precious bundle of sweetness starts displaying a temperament that pushes your buttons like no other.
This darling little girl who stole your heart the minute you first laid eyes on her is suddenly bringing out the worst in you with defiant "don't WANT to's" and exasperating, not to mention embarrassing public temper tantrums. She can quickly run right over your sanity.
If you've been there and are sure you're the world's worst mother, let me assure you you're not alone.
No matter what stage you're in, it's never too late or too early to implement what I call the all- important 3-P's of motherhood. You need to be Purposeful, Prepared and Prayerful.
Purposeful meaning the way you raise your daughter is well thought out, intentional, on-purpose. You take your role as her mother seriously and understand that you are the most influential person in her early developing years.
You are her first teacher - the one who establishes behavioral expectations, applauds her accomplishments and corrects her wrong behavior. Not only do you have the joy of meeting her physical needs, comforting her when she cries and cheering her on when she succeeds, you also have the responsibility to protect her and prepare her for life. Finding the right balance of delighting in her and disciplining her is often exhausting and overwhelming.
If you have more than one child, you probably realized very early on that no two are alike. You think you just got this motherhood thing figured out when along comes the next one who is nothing like your first! Nothing that worked before is working now. You're frustrated and frazzled. Take a deep breath and begin to be purposeful again with a new child who has a different personality and different needs than the other(s).
It will help to understand that God created every child a one-of-a-kind, unique creation with specific personalities, interests and temperaments. One may be compliant the other defiant. Methods of teaching and discipline that worked for one may not work for the other. That's okay! One of the best gifts you can give your daughter is permission to be who God created her to be, not who you think she should be. That will require some work on your part. You'll need to:
Study her. Listen to her.
Figure out what makes her tick.
What makes her laugh? When is she most talkative? What is she good at?
If you take interest in what interests her and intentionally help her discover her talents and abilities (keeping in mind that they may be nothing like yours or her siblings), you will be giving your mother/daughter relationship an invaluable foundation.
So whether your daughter is two, twelve or sixteen years old, take a few minutes and evaluate yourself on how intentional and purposeful you are in preparing your daughter to be a confident, considerate, and capable young woman.
I promise you this, the day she walks out of your home and into the world is coming faster than you think. Be purposeful in preparing her for that day.
More to come . . .
K
This darling little girl who stole your heart the minute you first laid eyes on her is suddenly bringing out the worst in you with defiant "don't WANT to's" and exasperating, not to mention embarrassing public temper tantrums. She can quickly run right over your sanity.
If you've been there and are sure you're the world's worst mother, let me assure you you're not alone.
No matter what stage you're in, it's never too late or too early to implement what I call the all- important 3-P's of motherhood. You need to be Purposeful, Prepared and Prayerful.
Purposeful meaning the way you raise your daughter is well thought out, intentional, on-purpose. You take your role as her mother seriously and understand that you are the most influential person in her early developing years.
You are her first teacher - the one who establishes behavioral expectations, applauds her accomplishments and corrects her wrong behavior. Not only do you have the joy of meeting her physical needs, comforting her when she cries and cheering her on when she succeeds, you also have the responsibility to protect her and prepare her for life. Finding the right balance of delighting in her and disciplining her is often exhausting and overwhelming.
If you have more than one child, you probably realized very early on that no two are alike. You think you just got this motherhood thing figured out when along comes the next one who is nothing like your first! Nothing that worked before is working now. You're frustrated and frazzled. Take a deep breath and begin to be purposeful again with a new child who has a different personality and different needs than the other(s).
It will help to understand that God created every child a one-of-a-kind, unique creation with specific personalities, interests and temperaments. One may be compliant the other defiant. Methods of teaching and discipline that worked for one may not work for the other. That's okay! One of the best gifts you can give your daughter is permission to be who God created her to be, not who you think she should be. That will require some work on your part. You'll need to:
Study her. Listen to her.
Figure out what makes her tick.
What makes her laugh? When is she most talkative? What is she good at?
If you take interest in what interests her and intentionally help her discover her talents and abilities (keeping in mind that they may be nothing like yours or her siblings), you will be giving your mother/daughter relationship an invaluable foundation.
So whether your daughter is two, twelve or sixteen years old, take a few minutes and evaluate yourself on how intentional and purposeful you are in preparing your daughter to be a confident, considerate, and capable young woman.
I promise you this, the day she walks out of your home and into the world is coming faster than you think. Be purposeful in preparing her for that day.
More to come . . .
K
I LOVE your blog, and I love this post! Can't wait to read more. May God bless this wonderful ministry. You are a dear friend and fabulous mom and grandma!
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