Parenting Is Hard Work, But Worth It!

This has been a difficult parenting week for me.  Especially with Hannah and Leah.  Perhaps the girls have been having a little too much "togetherness" this summer, and the bickering/tattling/arguing has been off the charts lately.  And with the hot temperatures preventing a lot of outside play, my fuse has been a little shorter than usual.  I've snapped at them.  They've cried.  There's been a lot of time out, early bed time, and long talks.  And thankfully a lot of "I'm sorry, Mom" followed by "I forgive you."  On top of everything, I've had a teary week in regards to missing my mom.  It was just one of those weeks.  Parenting is hard work!

I feel like I'm learning how to be more flexible in my parenting style.  Time-out worked for a season, but when it stopped being effective, we switched to earlier bedtimes which seemed to make more of an impact on their behavior.  We talk a lot about treating our family with utmost respect, and we try to spent quality one on one time with each child.  It's a balancing act to stay on top of the discipline as well as maintain our home and any other activities I'm involved in.  Some nights I crash into bed completely exhausted.

Even though parenting is hard work, it is so incredibly rewarding and fulfilling and wonderful.  This morning after breakfast, I was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes when I heard two little voices sweetly talking down the hall.  I stopped what I was doing and tiptoed to the doorway of Hannah and Leah's room. I couldn't make out all the words, but I heard giggling, so I peeked around the corner and this is what I saw....

Hannah and Lucas were snuggled up on the bed just talking and giggling away.

Just looking at their sweet faces brings me such joy.  I'll gladly take on the challenges of being a parent because THEY are worth it!