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Our lives became a little [EXTRA] special on February 15, 2011 in a way we never expected.







This is about our journey and the [EXTRA]ordinary people we meet along the way.







Saturday, February 2, 2013

Patience

Many people tell me that I must be so patient. Many people also have told me that having a child with special needs is a lesson in patience. This week, both of these statements have been either challenged or reinforced.

Having a pre-schooler, a girl pre-schooler at that, has it's own challenges. Eden is a piece of work. We love her dearly, but oh my word....I see her teens flashing before my eyes in the form of eye rolling, drama, attitude and defiance. Most days she is a very well behaved child, with manners and thoughtfulness. But this week has seemed like someone has forgotten that I am The Mom. It has required oodles of patience that I have not necessarily had. Repeating myself sixteen times (or more) is not my idea of fun.

Here is part of my day:

"Eden pick up your toys on the floor."

[two minutes later]

"Eden pick up your toys on the floor."

[two more minutes]

"Eden pick up your toys on the floor."

[and two more minutes]
"Eden pick up your toys on the floor."

No toys are picked up. I yell.

"EDEN PICK UP YOUR TOYS!!!!!!"

Eden cries. *SIGH*

Wyatt also likes to test my patience. For some reason, he loves to scratch his butt when I change his diaper. He has some real doozies. Diaper comes off, I pick up his feet to clean him....hands start scratching.

"Wyatt, stop."

[start cleaning again, Wyatt starts scratching]

"Wyatt, no!"

[put his hands on his chest, start cleaning, Wyatt scratches, putting his hands right in poop.]

"WYATT!! MOMMY SAID NO!"

[before I can clean hands, Wyatt puts fingers in mouth]

"WYYYYAAATTTTTT!"

[I yell, Wyatt cries]

I need to calm down. Kids do things and we cannot always control their actions. I try to have patience with both of my children. Let me clear this up: I do not have [EXTRA]ordinary patience because I have a child with special needs. I do not exhibit perfection in parenting. I am human and I get mad, and I get frustrated. And yes, sometimes, I yell.

I saw my reaction reiterated in an interaction that Eden had with Wyatt. They were playing together (which is awesome) and Eden got frustrated with Wyatt. Then I heard her produce a guttural "Ughhhhh!" She was mad that he had not been playing with her the way she wanted, and she responded with short patience. I took it as a teaching moment and talked her through the appropriate response. But I realized that she is modeling my sometime impatience.

I'm impatient about so many things, currently including Wyatt walking.

I was thinking this week, as many life happenings that weren't so happy, were happening: what if God had that little of patience for me? What if He got so frustrated with me and yelled at me after I had not listened the third (or sixteenth) time to Him? I am grateful that God has such patience for me. I am immensely thankful that I am able to have the grace He so selflessly hands out because He loves me that much. 

Patience is tough.

Patience is a work in progress.

Patience is a virtue.

So tomorrow, after Wyatt scratches his poop covered butt and I ask Eden to clean up her toys for the seventeenth time, I hope I remember God's grace and model that grace with my kids.




2 comments:

  1. I loved this post! Thanks for every word because I needed that BAD. Today I was feeling super over-touched because Royce is so affectionate. He likes to hang all over me, rub my hair and give constant hugs. Okay, now saying that makes me sound like a total grinch, but it was wearing on me. I've been trying to teach him that people can be done, and he needs to listen. But today while doing Speech therapy exercises he wasn't saying them as good as I knew he could, and kept getting distracted and silly. I was feeling super snippety and impatient with him. Again, thanks for your post…exactly what I needed!

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    1. I'm glad the sentiment resonated with you. And thanks for commenting! It makse me know that I am not alone!

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