Another Mom Was Nice To Me Today

Today as I was standing in line to return something at Target, my four year old son was displaying his displeasure at having to be there by misbehaving a bit. 

Don’t you just love it when all you want to do is run a quick errand and end up standing in line with a cranky kid? Nothing brightens a day more than having to correct your child in public and watch them unravel right before your eyes.

It seems that when your child is acting up in a public place you feel like everyone is looking at you with their cold, steely eyes and whispering their disapproval of your mothering skills behind your back. 

You shake it off, knowing that you are overreacting and they probably don’t even notice. Yes, I know that what others think is none of my business and most of the time I don’t even care what others think. It’s just that when it’s your kid that’s acting up you feel like you’re the only one with a misbehaving child. You know it’s a ridiculous thought, but it’s a feeling that just kind of comes over you as if someone was pouring hot goo over your head.

My son wasn’t acting too badly, but I did have to put him into time out for a short time to get him to settle. As he gave me his mean eyes look from his time out spot, the woman in front of me chuckled and said her six year old son gives her the same look.

Instantly I felt this sense of relief as if the store’s doors flew open and a warm ocean breeze hit my face. This nice woman went on to say she had four boys and they all did this and seeing my son do the same made her laugh a little bit as she thought of her own boys.

I thanked her for sharing that thought with me as sometimes you think you are the only one. She laughed and told me something I already knew, but so desperately needed to hear and that is, “Nah, they all do that.”

Those few little words carry so much meaning to a mom in the thick of correcting their child. We all know this to be true and we all know our children don’t act like this all the time. We also all know that every parent has to take their turn with the misbehaving child in public. It just always seems to be your turn at the worst possible moment, doesn’t it?

I loved the fact that this woman didn’t judge me, she remembered her times in the spotlight and offered some kind words and few laughs to make this mom feel a little better.

It’s a good thing she did because 5 minutes later as I was walking out through the store I heard another mom criticize the way my son was looking at her young daughter. Neither child was looking where they were going and came close to running into each other, they didn’t, but my son did turn to look at her is all. This mother made a snide comment and I ignored it. I chose to concentrate on what the nice mom said and I’m so glad I did.

I put my arm around my son and we walked out with our heads held up high for all the cameras to see.

So the next time you see a mom in the thick of a parenting moment in public, go up and tell her that your kids does or did the same thing at that age and smile. It may be the nicest thing you do all day.

Twelve Days of Christmas (Boys Edition) from Mob Society

If you do nothing else today, you MUST read this hilarious post about one mom's version of the 12 Days of Christmas. 
Whether you have boys or girls or a mix of both. Or if you can remember once what it was like to be young around Christmas time and feel the need to say, "Sorry Mom" you will love this.

Twelve Days of Christmas (Boys Edition)

Remember to share the love. Lets "Like" each other. I'm Not a Supermom

My husband underestimates my ability to fix problems with cars.

We both drive old cars, his being worse than mine.

Older cars come with a lot of little squeaks, bangs and other various annoying noises.

These noises really drive my husband nuts. He’ll fix one only to have three more pop up.

When he was complaining about them I told him I know how to fix them really easy. 

I told him he needs to do what I do – turn up the radio! And Presto! No more annoying noises.

This morning my son was getting into some trouble by backtalking a little when asked to pick up cars. 

I have what is called a "penalty box" where sometimes toys go for a week  as a form of punishment. 

When I mentioned that some cars would be put into the penalty box if he continued talking to me that way, he said, "You know what? Next spring, that penalty box is going into the yard sale!" 

I just about spit my green tea all over the kitchen counter.

Enslaved Children Freed After Being Forced to Make Christmas Decorations

I saw this news video that shows where a group of children were recently freed from a prison of child labor where they were forced into making cheap Christmas decorations for us here in the U.S.

Here is the link: Enslaved Children Freed After Being Forced to Make Christmas Decorations

Please read the article below the video s it provides more information.

I was horrified to hear this. It’s not the first time I had heard of child labor, but watching this video made it more real for me than just reading about it. I may never pick up another Christmas decoration without thinking of the little hands who may have made it.

To think that these young children are being stolen or sent off by their own families, enslaved, trafficked, abused and forced to work 19 hour days in terrible conditions made me cry.

I thought of my own child and how fortunate we are. Why is this allowed to continue? Instead of fighting over oil, land and religion, why aren’t we using our powers to free these children, who are all around the world and educate people?

Starvation, homelessness, slavery, abuse – all things that still continue today in the 21^st century. And we think we’ve come so far.

How sad and disappointed God must be with us.

How Do You Explain Why Santa Doesn’t Visit Everybody?

Now that my son is 4 going on 5, he is very inquisitive. When we talk about Santa coming, I mention that we also need to go through the toys and donate ones to other children who aren’t so fortunate. We do this every year to not only make room for all the new things he is getting, but  to also teach him about giving to others less fortunate.

My husband agreed and stated that we need to be generous and give to those children who may not get toys for Christmas.

My son asked the question we should have seen coming, but didn’t – “How come Santa won’t bring toys to them? We’re they bad?”

Ouch. My husband and I look at each other and stammer through some lame answer like, “Well, they may just not get as many as you do” or something like that and changed the subject fast till we are better prepared to answer a question like that.

But how do you answer that question?

I want to teach my son about others who are not as fortunate, but how do you teach that kind of empathy without getting too detailed or "spilling the beans" so to speak?

How do you explain Santa not getting around to some children without contradicting yourself?

Add your Boy story to this wonderful link up at The M.O.B. Society. M.O.B. stands for Moms of Boys. 

This site is a great place to be if you have boys. Find inspiration, friendship and understanding from moms who are right there with you in the trenches of raising boys. These women understand all the joys, hard work and sometimes discouragement you are going through.

So check out this link up, visit other sites and maybe link up one yourself!

Today I Am Thankful For:

The freedom to vote.

I am thankful for the ones who fought for that freedom and for those who still do today.

‎"I love you more to day than yesterday. 
Yesterday you really ticked me off!"

Oh, the power of forgiveness. 

If you really want to lose weight fast, forgive someone who did you wrong. You will feel lighter instantly. 

Recommending: A Choice to Rejoice

Have you ever experienced a painful loss or a prayer that seemed to go unanswered only to find out that someone else appeared to get what you wanted?

It can be so painful watching someone else be blessed with what you longed for so long, prayed for so hard and was so devastated to lose or never acquired at all. 

It can be so hard to be happy for that person who received what you feel you should have. It is easy to fall into the trap by thinking you feel left out, that you don't matter as much as they do and that either God is too busy to be bothered with you or that He must be cruel to force you to watch someone else be blessed.

It is much harder to rejoice with them, to be genuinely happy for them all the while you are deep in the pit of devastation personally.

I know, because I have experienced this many times.

I recommend an article to help you understand that you aren't the only person who has felt this way and to know that there is a reason, just not the one you think.

A Choice to Rejoice is a definite must read if you have ever experienced a loss or any painful experience only to end up watching someone else get what you were longing for. If you ever felt that God was being cruel in your time of terrible pain by the appearance of blessing someone else and not you, then you should read this. I know what that feels like as I have lived it many times over. Read it, it will help make sense.

Read it here: A Choice to Rejoice