My little girls love girly dresses and tea parties, but when mud and puddles are around, there is no stopping them. They know how to get dirty.
Being the mother and the one who have most of the responsibility of keeping this house clean, I have to fight the urge to scream "Nooooooo, don't roll yourself in that". I often have to bite my lips not to say those words, but sometime I fail. Seeing those sad little faces breaks my mothers heart.
It's not easy, knowing that my ever growing pile of dirty clothes, in a instant, just grew bigger. Knowing that it's too cold to let them undressed outside, and therefore I will have to clean the floor, rug and probably the walls too.
Then I look at them, the smile on their faces, their laughter, giggles the joy pure joy of being free. How is it that we loose that freedom when we become parents? Does responsibilities and maturity have to come with chains?
Freedom does not mean that we have to be irresponsible, let go of all that is moral and right.
No, freedom is being able to embrace the mess and being ready to clean it after.
Today's challenge, put on the rubber boots, be free to get dirty, have fun. Let your children see you happy to be around them, to play with them. To live freely with them. And maybe, just maybe with the promise of hot chocolate, you might have little helpers to clean up the mess with you, to share the load. Because you have given them something that is priceless, you have given them a part of you, they might learn to give you a part of themselves also.
How about you, what kind of messy thing in parenting that have you on chains? Let's be honest here, we all have at least one thing that makes us cringe, that makes us want to say Noooo, one thing that keep us from being free. What's yours?
How well I remember my brother and I making mud pies in our backyard when we were young. What fun it was! So glad our mom was on the same parenting page as you are!!
ReplyDeleteThose are precious memories, aren't they :-)
DeleteOh boy...I know where you're coming from...I think we lose that "freedom" because we are the ones that have to clean it up afterwards! I think we must find a balance somewhere between crazy messy and pristine...and remember whatever we decide is best for us that we are making memories (whether good or bad) that they will take with them, and they will only be little once...
ReplyDeleteI might add that sometime I let them make a mess while I'm drinking a nice warm cup of coffee or tea (it's a special treat for me) then because I took the time to do something for me, I have more energy to clean up after them :-)
DeleteThat's a good idea!
DeleteI have to resist the urge to keep them in on snowy days. They get all bundled up, run out there for five minutes, get too cold, come in, and there is a huge mess I have to clean up. But those five minutes are absolutely worth the mess!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the joys of winter and winter clothes!
DeleteI am more inspired by messes than cleanliness for some reason- and I think my kids are taking after me!! Get dirty- it washes out! That kind of thing. (when I get around to finally doing the laundry! LOL)
ReplyDeleteSteph
I struggle with finding the balance between the freedom of letting them get dirty and having a clean space. Clutter and mess makes me a bit grumpy, so I have to work on that!
DeleteMy kiddos always manage to find the mud too and my oldest daughter is always the dirtiest! I used to keep them in so I didn't have to clean the mess, but now I let them go and we all work together to clean the mess. And I get some free time while they are all out having fun! :)
ReplyDeleteOurs too, they have a attraction for mud, they can find it faster then I can say "no stop" lol
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