The best motherhood advice I've ever heard (at least, that is relevant to the two years and two children I've been mothering) came from Rachel Jankovic's book, Loving the Little Years. (By the way, Jenae over at I Can Teach My Child is hosting a giveaway of this book through Friday, Sept. 9. Hop on over and try to snag yourself a copy!) Her little book is chock full of wisdom, but for super-practical me, this little gem topped them all:
"If things started seeming really out of control, I would look at the clock and note the time. Then I would tell myself that in twenty minutes this would be over." (p. 43)
Of course, she was writing this about having 2-year-old, a one-year-old, and twin babies, and my life is nowhere near that chaotic. Her next paragraph goes on to say, "Twenty minutes is enough time (if you are moving quickly and not moping) to change three diapers and one complete outfit, spank one disobeyer, tuck two people into naps, and sit down to nurse the other two." Yeah, my life is not that crazy (yet?).
However, I've found it to be a very helpful guideline, the twenty-minute rule. Whatever's going on in my house, chances are pretty good that it will be different in twenty minutes! The nap-protester will conk out. The lunch-refuser will give in to his bite. However many times I've read the same story in rapid succession, the toddler will grow tired of it. Rachel's right: if everyone is crying and both diapers need changed and we're late on snacks, simply putting my head down and barreling through the work provides a drastically different outcome than, say, leaving the boys unattended to get on Google chat to complain to my husband that I'm having an awful day.
Because if I'm doing what needs to be done, then in twenty minutes, I probably won't be having an awful day anymore!
"If things started seeming really out of control, I would look at the clock and note the time. Then I would tell myself that in twenty minutes this would be over." (p. 43)
Of course, she was writing this about having 2-year-old, a one-year-old, and twin babies, and my life is nowhere near that chaotic. Her next paragraph goes on to say, "Twenty minutes is enough time (if you are moving quickly and not moping) to change three diapers and one complete outfit, spank one disobeyer, tuck two people into naps, and sit down to nurse the other two." Yeah, my life is not that crazy (yet?).
However, I've found it to be a very helpful guideline, the twenty-minute rule. Whatever's going on in my house, chances are pretty good that it will be different in twenty minutes! The nap-protester will conk out. The lunch-refuser will give in to his bite. However many times I've read the same story in rapid succession, the toddler will grow tired of it. Rachel's right: if everyone is crying and both diapers need changed and we're late on snacks, simply putting my head down and barreling through the work provides a drastically different outcome than, say, leaving the boys unattended to get on Google chat to complain to my husband that I'm having an awful day.
Because if I'm doing what needs to be done, then in twenty minutes, I probably won't be having an awful day anymore!
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