All in a day...

So, apparently my attitude makes an impact on my kids. Who would have known? When I am frustrated, short tempered, and irritated, my kids are annoying, disobedient, rude, and disrespectful. When I determine to focus on the positive and encourage that, I get kids who look for ways to honor the rest of the family and much more positive interactions overall. No, it doesn't fix a two year olds needs to fill the toilet with as many objects or as much toilet paper as possible and it doesn't stop all the arguing and selfishness, but I handle it better. And, as a result, my attitude doesn't perpetuate the problem. Wow, that is a lot of power for one person to have!

Has my day gone perfectly today? Hardly. I currently have a baby boy who had difficulty going down for nap so I got to cuddle with him twice, a two year old who is yelling upstairs about how she doesn't want to go to bed (though she clearly needs it and I have done EVERYTHING to help her) and a four year old who has not quite mastered the art of quiet naptime. Am I handling it all better than yesterday? Way better! It is amazing what a little prayer, offered at key times can do. I am asking God to give me wisdom and grace with my kiddos so that I can respond in a way that show His love for them. It hasn't been perfect today, but it is moving in the right direction.