The Perfect Little Family
A relative who reads my blog once told me, "You have the perfect little family."
He was right. My family is perfect.
Here on this blog, that is.
Because I decided a long time ago not to write about all of the frustrations and disappointments that go along with parenting.
Oh, I do let a few get into print. But for the most part, I like to "accentuate the positive" and keep my blog upbeat and hopeful.
So, you probably won't see long posts about my son's lazy attitude about chores, or my daughter's bad manners at the dinner table.
And I'm not going to vent about the piles of toys I find on the stairs, or the fights we have over bedtime, or the stubborn inability of either kid to sleep past 7am on the weekends.
When I look at the Big Picture, I see the good things outnumbering the bad by 100 to 1. So why focus on the negatives when they mean so little in our daily lives?
I used to read several mom and dad blogs that were just non-stop whining and moaning, as if the job of being a parent was nothing but a hassle.
Even on my worst day, when I'm tired and the kids are talking back and the cats are barfing on the rug, I still like to end my night with positive thoughts.
So, do I have the perfect little family? Of course not. But in my memory, and here on this blog, they come pretty close.
He was right. My family is perfect.
Here on this blog, that is.
Because I decided a long time ago not to write about all of the frustrations and disappointments that go along with parenting.
Oh, I do let a few get into print. But for the most part, I like to "accentuate the positive" and keep my blog upbeat and hopeful.
So, you probably won't see long posts about my son's lazy attitude about chores, or my daughter's bad manners at the dinner table.
And I'm not going to vent about the piles of toys I find on the stairs, or the fights we have over bedtime, or the stubborn inability of either kid to sleep past 7am on the weekends.
When I look at the Big Picture, I see the good things outnumbering the bad by 100 to 1. So why focus on the negatives when they mean so little in our daily lives?
I used to read several mom and dad blogs that were just non-stop whining and moaning, as if the job of being a parent was nothing but a hassle.
Even on my worst day, when I'm tired and the kids are talking back and the cats are barfing on the rug, I still like to end my night with positive thoughts.
So, do I have the perfect little family? Of course not. But in my memory, and here on this blog, they come pretty close.
Permalink posted by Idaho Dad at 12:03 AM
14 Comments:
I have read your blog for years and have always appreciated how positive you are. I don't see how you do it. While I don't homeschool, I have a son I raise myself who is now ten and I know you must face some ofthe same frustrations I do. Thanks again for yuour blog.
and when my boys bring me coffee in bed all is well...
I like the positive.
I also think by making an effort to accentuate the positive if even on the blog--it makes you recognize positive things in the everyday.
I like the way you think. I will make a more solid effort to write only the positive because you are right the positive does by far outweigh the negative. Thanks for a different prospective.
I agree. I like talking about the positive, and they do always outway the negative 100 to 1. And part of writing my blog is to communicate to my own kids how unique and special I think they are, and that I love them very much. Somehow that wouldn't come through if I just whined and complained about them, now would it?
Drat. I was hoping you were transcending the accidental *cough* kick in the face (last night) in your family.
I totally agree with you, btw. The last thing I want is my kids to grow up thinking, Gee, my dad really thought I was a jerk and he told the whole world.
We'll leave that to the ever-so-happy snarky bloggers.
I don't mind mentioning if things are difficult or stressful. If (and I hope they don't until they're much older) my kids ever read my blog I wouldn't want them to think that mom had everything together and under control all the time. Life is hard, I don't need to make it any harder by adding guilt over not measuring up to mom.
When complaining and whining becomes the theme of a blog I usually stop reading. I don't need that crap.
Excellent post. It reminds us all to focus on the positive.
You will only remember the good times anyway!
Like in life... raising kids is best done by picking your battles. If it is safety or a lesson to be learn, you stay steady to the course. All the others are small stuff... and the best way to find out how lucky you are to have the greatest of kids... is to be around someone else with their kids. lol...
I am printing this out so I can read it often. I've always been irritated at people who only talk about how awesome life is, possibly out of jealousy that I seem to have so many more struggles than they do, but the way you expressed your reasons for doing so make so much sense. It's like, I KNEW that, but it just now sunk in. Thanks.
Well said!!! You've inspired me. Thank you!
I like to think I'm honest and balanced in my blogging of family life, but in truth I suspect I swing between whining and rejoicing. Maybe that's the closest to balance I'll get!
What I hope my blogging conveys is that having kids has turned up the contrast and the colour in my life. And I'm thankful for that (and for them) every day.
I just happened to run across your blog while searching Google for photos of North Idaho in Fall. I ran across an older blog of yours and found this one by chance.
I love you comment about being positive - and that thing about the cats barfing on the rug...were you at my house last night, too ;)
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