was my story.
It felt like a constant burden to me.
I imagined myself FREE again in about fifteen years when all my kids
were old enough to move out.
It’s not that I didn’t deeply LOVE my
children, I certainly did.
But parenting felt like a 24/7 job that I rarely got to take
a break from. I didn’t feel respected. I felt like a push over.
My oldest son and I clashed….our personalities, our beliefs,
what we wanted, nothing seemed to fit. He was so disrespectful. He argued with
most everything I said. He didn't obey easily.
It seemed like everything was a fight with him.
One day in the midst of an epic battle…
I PAUSED
Instead of the stream of thoughts like:
- He should obey me!
- If he respected me, he would lower
his voice. - I have failed in this relationship.
- I need to show him who is in charge!
Instead I LISTENED.
I HEARD HIM…
And what he was saying was true, just completely, and
utterly true.
In that moment I FELT grateful and I respected HIM. I
respected him for telling me the truth. For being brave enough to do it in the
best way HE knew how.
I thanked him and said, “You are right, I hear you now.”
And he looked at me and I saw something that I had not seen
in a long time…
it was the look of, RESPECT.
I began to experience parenting in a very different way after that. I began to question my beliefs about my children and slowly parenting became easy, fun and even peaceful.
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