Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Have you ever had those days where anything that can go wrong will go wrong?  And just when you're trying to rush something and accomplish so much, that is also exactly the time when at least one of your children will be more clingy, have accidents, and need your attention?

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I'm a panic parent.  If my husband and I were to be compared to natural elements, I would be fire and he would be water.  If you know me, you'll notice how my voice can go from shrieky high to big and low in all in one sentence when I'm animatedly telling you a story.  When I'm happy, I'm up in the clouds and when I'm sad, I'm completely down in the dump.  So on days that I feel I have to meet a deadline (or even just a perceived expectation), I can hyperfocus on it and panic when things don't go smoothly.

And it is during these days that I seem to hear from my dear Tweetie Pie and darling Bon-Bon things like:

"Milka-milka!" [This is Bon-Bon's cue for wanting to breastfeed.] 

[BANG! Something falls to the floor.]  "Heeeeeeelp!"

"Mamaaaaaa!" followed by "Waaaaahhhh," with a cry that will break your heart.

Haaaayyy...

And yet when I do take a moment to pause and take a step back to calmly look at the whole picture, that's when I realize how much children really pick up from our moods.

It's exactly because I'm stressed that my children also become stressed and often feel the need for assurance. It's also the same reason why a new breastfeeding mom who is worried about her milk supply has trouble latching on and getting her baby to relax and be calm.  It's exactly the reason why we can't fight or argue in front of our children.

When the kids are having an off day, more often than not, I don't really need to look far for answers.  Our children often reflect back to us what they sense from us.

Okay, I need to take a deep breath, slowly exhale, take a moment to pray, and face the day's concerns with a calm and positive attitude -- so that my Tweetie Pie and Bon-Bon can also face life with the right attitude!