How I wish the hospital handed you a parenting manual at the same time they hand you that little bundle of joy...

BUT THEY DON'T...it's all for you to figure out, on your own time.

"You're NOT the boss of me!" shouts the 6 year old in our house. I think he's trying to figure out who he truly is and how to interact with us, his parents. The parents on the other hand are trying to figure out where this defiant attitude and rudeness is coming from.

One moment he can be the sweetest little boy, for example yesterday on the way home he says to me, "Mommy, you know what I like best about Christmas? I like best that we are all together, you know, as a family." It melts my heart when I hear my children say something like this...it's so hard to for all of us to be in the same spot at one time anymore. But it shouldn't be hard. I get so caught up in other things I'm doing, I sometimes don't put the family first I believe. That makes me extremely sad. These children are a blessing not a birthright. My husband and I chose to have them and sometimes I don't feel like I'm there for them.

My New Years resolution this year is going to be as follows, My goal is to eat at least 3 meals together as a family each week. AND we are all going to sit at the same table, just not in the same house. If something else comes up, I plan to work around this...because my first priority will be to eat those 3 meals together. The kids are growing up too fast and I don't want to miss it.

So, back to the 6 year old terror in the house.

When parents speak, they demand the child's attention...but I notice myself walking around the house with my iPhone in my hand and while they are talking to me I'm staring at my phone. I'm not giving them the same respect I expect in return. So starting tonight when I get home, my phone is going on the kitchen counter...I'm not carrying it around with me. Perhaps the 6 year old feels not respected and in return doesn't want to show respect.
This is the first thing I am going to work on to become a better parent. Once I get this accomplished, I will move on to the next thing.

Wish me luck!