I've had something on my mind lately and I figured I better document it.
I've spent hours reading and reading and reading parenting books. For some reason, I have this idea, if I read more books about parenting, I will BE a better parent. I suppose this is a valid conclusion; but lately, I'm seeing different.
Lest I appear ignorant, let me first state that many parenting books are wonderful and give great ideas/insight. Stated. Done. I had an experience last night which taught me differently.
Treyson, as all children do, went through a phase recently where sleeping in his crib wasn't going well. Something about his "jail" was not appealing. (Wood slats in your face? Who wouldn't love that!?) Every book I read told me NOT to get him out, NOT to let him sleep with me etc etc etc. I tried religiously to follow "their" (aka. overeducated doctors/psychologists etc) rules. Poor Treyson was not having it.
Then, the other night, while Trevor was again hauling cattle across the nation, Treyson started in on his nightly SCREAMING. I was so exhausted and worn down, I caved. The doctors and parenting experts around the world booed.
I took Treyson in my bed, made some popcorn and we watched Mary Poppins together in MY bed. His little swollen face (from crying...not being beat) broke into the biggest smile and he broke out in dance moves to "Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious". An hour later, he said "Ni Night" and pointed to his room. He went to bed in his crib, without a hitch, with a smile on both our faces.....
I learned that perhaps, not all experts know as much as we'd HOPE they do. My child is different than all others. He will be different than his sisters. Different things works for different kids AND maybe, just maybe, we all need a night out of cribs, in bed with mom and popcorn and OJ and Mary (as in poppins....not my girlfriend).
Some of you have asked/emailed/called re. what's going on with the twinners. ALL IS WELL. I just had some bad contractions a couple nights ago. My doctor wants me on "temporary" bed rest which is just a morbid way of saying, "Pawn your kid off on grandma and lay around watching Oprah and drinking water because you have been doing FAR too much." Praying the contractions stop. My cervix stays rock hard and these twins do not make an appearance till 36 weeks.
6 educated comments:
amen. you have officially reached motherhood, in my opinion, when you realize you know your kids better than anyone else and not to listen to them, either.
every child really is different and as long as we're all trying to be the best parent we can be, the kids will be just fine.
xoxo
p.s. i know it's been so long, but headbands are coming in the mail sometime next week.
I have gone through this before and I am anti sleep/parent training books. Seriously I realized my kid was as they call it in every book THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, so I have taken over and go by my gut feeling and how strict or not strict I feel like being, so much better.
Good luck with bedrest, enjoy it while it lasts, hopefully it won't be till they come out!!!
oh. my. gosh. I too, have read a million parenting books (yes, Cason is only 5 months) and it is SOOO hard for me to do something other than what the book says because then if it doesnt work, its their fault, I guess. I find that when I do break the rules according to Cason's needs... things work out. A.M.E.N to this post, sister. Amen.
AMEN. By the time the twins come you won't even keep any of those rules in those books. Seriously...we just do what we have to do to survive! That's good parenting in my book :)lol
I laugh all the time when I remember how I raised meg and how I'm raising the one's after her.
soo bummed to hear about your minor contractions! I really do hope you take it easy. Having them full term will be such a blessing!!!
contractions?! keep those little girlies in there!!! good luck with the bed rest. i'm a parenting book junkie. I will admit, they really help me understand the biological and developmental things going on. but I agree, I feel like they sometimes can stress moms out even more. good luck, and stay stress-free. you know, since it's so easy to do with a little 18 month old little boy (is that how old he is?)
Some of my all-time favorite memories are cuddling with Tofer on my bed while he points to my eyes and ears and nose and giggles or he pats me on the face and says, "momma" over and over again. I don't care what anyone says, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.
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