The borderline

We all reach it. We all reach that point where we are ready to break. I reached that point yesterday. EVERYTHING wore at me. I was so close to breaking that I seriously just cried. Here I am trying to teach these kids that yes there are rules, yes we do have to follow them and no they will NEVER change. You will NEVER be allowed to hit, push, kick, rub your snot on, scream like you are mortally wounded while just because someone is in your "designated" place nor will you be allowed to poop for the fun of it in any place but the toilet. My patience was just not there yesterday. It seemed that I was on my very last nerve the whole day. Those are the days where you wonder is it worth it to actually have those rules set in place. Couldn't I just let them run amuck and go into the back bedroom and hide. I mean seriously sometimes the other kids did deserve a good kick, do I have to actually enforce the no kicking rule. That's when a good husband steps in, plays with your hair while you're eating lunch, takes a break from studying for the hugest test of his life and gives you a huge hug and just lets you cry. It didn't solve anything but it made everything just that much better. It pulled me away from the edge. Then today I read this. The Great Challenges of Parenting"In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of childrenrequires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength,wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challengewe might have in life. This is especially so when moral foundations ofhonor and decency are eroding around us. For us to have successful homes,values must be taught, and there must be rules, there must be standards,there must be absolutes."( President James E. Faust, "A Thousand Threads of Love," Ensign, Oct. 2005, 3) Darn it I do have to enforce the no hitting, punching, kicking, pooping, pushing rule. Ah well, they'll be better kids for it. I have to remember all the people I come in contact with at church and other places that think I am "so blessed" to have wonderful children that are so well behaved. I am blessed with wonderful, strongheaded, stubborn, mischevious, sometimes malicious, but yes, sweet children. The well behaved part is a ton of work. All the time work. Relentless work. Brutal work. Work well worth it.