Patience

I've decided that I don't like myself. I don't like myself as a person nor as a mother and when I see the kids copy my patterns, patterns that don't work, then I realize that I have to do things different. Do them better. Tonight, I worked hard to keep my temper from flaring especially when telling the kids over and over and over again to do the same thing.

"Bryce, start your lunch. Bryce, start your lunch. Bryce, start your lunch before I sell your gameboy on e-bay."

Now don't get me wrong. I didn't yell that last time, but I was loud enough to get my point across. Brady has also shown me that it's not going to be easy.

"Brady, finish your supper so I can finish the dishes. You have five minutes to finish those peas or you don't get your cookie."

"But my stomach hurts a little."

"Then you don't need a cookie."

"Ten minutes."

"Five."

"Twenty."

"Five and your lucky to be getting five. You've been sitting here for 45 minutes now."

"But I'm afraid that a pea is going to get up under my loose tooth and get stuck."

"The chicken would be more likely to get stuck than that pea. Eat!"

He's determined to wear down my patience. But he ate his peas and I finished my dishes. Finally.