The other day at the pool, I saw a lady YELL at her kids because they lost some of their diving rings. She was searching all around the pool for rings and even took some out of the pool’s community ring box to make up the difference. It was kind of a bummer to watch.
So, this week, when I found myself getting annoyed at small stuff, I decided to just quietly solve the problems without yelling. I bought Minnie a bunch of clothes (and a bathing suit!) with Elmo on them because she never wants to get dressed or take off her Disney pajamas. Problem solved! She can’t freaking wait to get dressed in Elmo clothes (eyeroll). I also ordered a bunch of water bottles on Amazon (I think they are meant for a team LOL LOL LOL) because the kids keep leaving theirs at baseball, dive, tennis, the pool (and I will still track them down, of course, but now I am not stressed about it at all, and I know at a glance which water bottles are TEAM JEDD, which will make it easier for me to grab them). Harry keeps losing his car keys in the steaming hellhole pit of trash, dishes, and baseball cards that is his room, so I bought him an Air Tag keychain and PROBLEM FREAKING SOLVED.
So, thanks, mad lady at the pool, for reminding me not to sweat the small stuff.
Another thing that helps? Dinner out.
Oh man. This is such a good reminder and so empowering. See a problem, solve a problem. The world is hard enough. I love it
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder! My one year old keeps trying to eat our bug spray so I put it in a bag - 10 second fix and now I'm not taking it away from her!
ReplyDeleteUm, gonna need that water bottle link. There is an unacceptable amount of yelling by the adults in our house around water bottles.....
ReplyDeleteSigh. I've been doing a lot of lecturing lately and I hate it. I try - I really try - but there just seems to be so much to lecture (especially one child in particular) about lately, but it's really sapping my joy. It's not that I can just avoid all discipline, but really...I think it's time to just ignore some things and let the little stuff slide because as a commenter wisely says above: the world is hard enough.
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