The Summertime Blues

  • By Trish Berg
  • July 27, 2011
  • 298
                        
Struggling with loads of laundry, clutter in the kitchen and chaos in your life? Stress can easily steal our joy. Trish Berg reminds us to simplify the small stuff and find Joy in the Journey. For months I look forward to the summer. I look forward to lighter schedules, sleeping in, eating Popsicles and doing nothing at all. Hanging out with kids, cooking out, sitting on the porch and sipping lemonade. Most of all, soaking up the sun. Well, last week, I hit my limit. My kids started fighting with each other on Monday and didn't stop until Friday. "Mom, Colin is teasing me..." "Mom, Sydney took my necklace without asking me..." "Mom, Riley messed up my room..." "Mom Hannah took my blanket..." I had had enough! I need a time out . I need someone to tell me to go to my room and not come out until maybe a day or two has gone by. With all of the arguing going on, I transformed from the mom I want to be into this very mean, very ugly, very angry mom. A mom who shouts. A mom who yells. A mom who felt like her head was going to explode clean off her shoulders and create quite a mess. And guess who would have to clean up that mess???? Me....yes me. So, instead, I decided to make their lives miserable. I began assigning chores every time they came to me with a poor attitude or fought with each other. "Mom, Riley slapped me.." "Fine Colin, that is nice. Riley, you and Colin need to go downstairs and clean the basement for 30 minutes. Work together as a team.” "Mom, Hannah took my headband.." "Well, Hannah and Sydney, you can both switch laundry loads, fold the clean load, and then weed my flower beds." It was funny to watch them go from fighting with each other to getting angry with me. They joined forces, began to get along, and I quickly became the bad guy. The best part was the chores got done, and I saved my sanity. And I watched four very ornery kids start to work better together, not fight as much, and leave ME ALONE!!!! So, I may not solve all of the world’s problems. I don’t have the answers to all of your parenting woes, sorry. But hard work is always a good thing in my book. Cleaning out the house can in effect clean out their hearts. Ahhhh, summer. I think I will make some sweet lemonade, sit on the porch swing and watch the leaves blowing in the breeze. How many days until school starts?


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