To the woman I always see yelling at her kids....

Who do you think you are, picking on little children who are barely learning their words let alone having logic behind their decisions? You think by yelling at them you will be heard. You think screaming will get your point across. Well, we get it.... You're mad. You don't always like what your kids are doing, but guess what? They're kids. They don't always have the ability to think things through. And guess what else? They. Are. Kids. They should be making messes and getting dirty. It should take them an hour to eat a meal. They will spill drinks and leave crumbs under the table. Playing with water in the bathroom sink when they should be going potty is totally normal. They may not walk as fast or move as quickly as you want them to.
They are tiny, lovable and innocent. They don't think like us and they don't hurry through things just to get the day done. They live for the moment. They aren't worried about what bills need to get paid, how much housework needs to get done, or where their next meal is coming from. All they are worried about is that their green crayon just broke or that they can't find their favorite toy. Their lives are much more simple (just as our lives were when we were their age).
Maybe you should learn some lessons from them. Slow down and relax. Maybe it should take an hour to eat a meal because we are actually taking time to chew it and taste it and maybe, heaven forbid, having a little fun eating it. Maybe we all should walk a little slower and enjoy the beautiful things around us. Step back, mommy, and allow yourself to see the world through your child's eyes. Stop yelling. All it is accomplishing is (temporarily) scaring your child into doing whatever you are trying to get them to do. Instead, take it easy, breathe, maybe get your camera and pause to capture some of the good times. Make memories... Good ones. Not memories full of stressed out yelling. Stop rushing through your life (and your child's) and enjoy every moment you can. Your kids will not be small for long.
Your life will be so much more enjoyable if you sit back and let things just happen. You may have to accept the fact that it is sometimes necessary to do things on a different level than you are used to. You are not always in control. So as I sit here looking in the mirror at the woman I always see yelling at her children, I beg her, please pay attention to the words in this post. You love your family more than anything in the universe so why is it okay to take out your frustrations and stress on them? Life is short and time is precious. Value it and use the time wisely. Choose your words and actions wisely.
You can't bully your kids into doing things the way you want. Instead, teach them kindly by taking their hands and walking (at a childlike pace) through all of the joyful beauty their childhood has to offer.

The kid in our kitchen....

This morning was like every morning. I got the kids to the kitchen table for breakfast without much argument. I shamefully admit I opted for sugar cereal since it was fast and easy. The kids were quietly eating their cereal. It seemed the sugary, goodness of Cocoa Puffs kept them focused on getting through their meal and onto the next thing. Mason knows the faster he eats, the faster he gets to drink the chocolate milk that's left behind from the cereal. I recently purchased a box of Cookie Crisp, thinking the kids would like it as a snack. They didn't like it so rather than waste it, I have been working on getting it eaten myself. I had just finished my last bite and found my mind wandering to thoughts of brushing my teeth since there was now a sugary build up (that only a child could truly appreciate) in my mouth. I took my bowl to the sink and rinsed it while the kids finished up.
Mason, who is a few months shy of four, said, "Look, Mommy, there is a kid right there." And he pointed towards the corner of the room. I looked over and, of course, seeing no one there, asked, "Where?" He pointed again and said, "Right there, Mommy!" I told him I didn't see anyone. He said, "Does that kid have a mommy?" My heart at this point was beating really fast and I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach that usually comes when watching a scary movie. I am a firm believer that kids are much closer to "the other side" than adults. Was this some little spirit that Mason is seeing for some reason? Was it just possibly an imaginary friend? Mason kept talking about this "kid" and I wasn't sure what to think. What is going on? I was getting a little scared and even thought for a moment I would call my husband for some comfort. Again, I asked, "Where? What kid?" And again Mason pointed but this time he said, "Those kids, there!" Oh great, I thought, they are multiplying. I said, "Show me!" Mason looked me in the eyes and in a very frustrated tone said, "Right there. On the box!" I looked over to the cereal boxes that were sitting on the table and there, on the Cookie Crisp box were two kids, as plain as day!
Lessons learned:
1- I have maybe seen too many scary movies
2- Its good to get clarification on things before jumping to conclusions