The Child Who Changed It All

 

Those who know this little fire pistol know that God has given me a particular challenge when he gifted me with this child.

 

I had gotten quite cocky in my parenting style.

People would praise how well behaved my children were when we went places. I smiled in pride and thanked them.

 

I judged other moms whose children were out of control.

Tsk...if only those mothers were strong enough to stand up to their children. If only they understood the importance of discipline and boundaries in a child's life.

 

 If only they were as good at this mothering thing as I am.

 

Okay, maybe these thoughts were not so strong...but it was certainly the underlying belief system I held.

 

Well...not anymore.

This child tantrums and hits and pushes and bites.

She pitches fits about having to take a bath, and then pitches the same fit about having to get out.

She wants to buckle her own seatbelt, sit in only a double cart at the grocery store, and eat off my plate instead of the exact same food on hers.

 

She pees her pants when she is mad at me.

She pitches a fit if the tv is displaying anything but Barney.

She tripped me at a restaurant and caused dark bruises all down my knees and legs that are still healing.

 

She pushes her friends and siblings.

She is generally naughty.

All. The. Time.

 

She is the classic Strong Willed Child, according to James Dobson.

 

She has changed how I feel about parenting.

 

When I see a child in a store raging, I am no longer annoyed at that mother. I now try to make eye contact. To smile an exhausted smile of sympathy back that says, "Yeah. Me too."

 

I try to remember this quote:

 

Maybe your hard battle is your child, like mine is.

 

Maybe your battle is in finding joy in the mundane drudgery of raising children and managing a household, while trying to take care of your husband and yourself.

 

Maybe it is financial, been there.

Maybe it is relational...been there too.

 

Whatever it is, lets remember our fellow sisters in motherhood are fighting their hard battles too.

 

May the Father who created us and saved us, sustain us in fighting the good fight.

 

Our families depend on it.

 

In the meantime, I will continue to wage war with my daughter's will.

For her benefit and God's glory.

 

One day, we will sit around and laugh about the havoc she brought with her in toddlerhood. And we will admire how much she has grown and changed.

 

One day I will miss her little two year old body, her broken sentences and obsession with a big purple dinosaur.

 

One day she will grow up and be gone.

On that day, I will give anything to have one more wild fit. To hold on a little longer to the squirmy, strong body that so wants to have her own way in this world.

 

A friend said to me, "she is destined for greatness".

 

I will claim that and believe it.