29 January 2013

Daily Challenge - Good Qualities

I'd planned on doing a bunch of memes today, a lot of online posting.  Then two things happened: I've got a tooth ache that's driving me to distraction, and in a moment of thoughtlessness, I "marked as read" all the blogs that I'd had waiting for me to pull my memes from.

Yeah.  Not one of my better days.

Still, there are two things that I can do at the moment.  I can do the Blogging Prompt Day 3 post, and I can do today's challenge

Choose One Good Quality You Have and Talk About It

I'll admit, I haven't gotten a chance to reply to comments yet, but that's something I can do from my Kindle, so there's a good chance that will happen a little later tonight.

So now... time to talk about a good quality that I have.  Like most people, I do have a few good ones, even if I can't always remember what they are.  But today, I'm going to talk about being a good mom.

I'll be the first to admit, I don't do everything right when it comes to my kids.  I let them watch too much TV. I get angry at them when I'm having a bad day.  I don't keep the cleanest house or serve the best meals.  But I love them.  And I try my best to show them this every day.

There isn't a day that doesn't go by that I don't tell them I love them, or give them numerous hugs and kisses. I'm always there to kiss skinned knees or soothe hurt feelings.  I try to teach by example, showing them the things I think are important in a person - respect for one another, courtesy, love.  I support them when they are wronged, and go to bat for them when they don't feel they can do so themselves.  I ask questions about everything happening in their lives and try to make sure I stay a part of it.  I know who their friends are and I follow up with how they're doing in school. I help Teddy with his homework and work with Pete on his worksheets.  I read stories to them at night and make sure they get kissed, hugged and tucked in before bed.  I push them just enough to figure things out on their own rather than giving them the answers to everything.  I show them that Mommy can get pushed too far sometimes, but even when I am, I can still say I'm sorry and tell them I love them even when I'm angry.  I don't let them get away with everything, and I explain to them why they can't.

The important thing is that I love them.  And they love me.