Just a little patience

I never thought I would say this, and as much as I LOVE, LOVE my children...I am glad they are back to school again today. Especially the one in the photo above.

Chelsea is as high maintenance as they come. Sometimes I wonder if I gave birth to her first, would I have had the patience to have anymore. Well, I am glad that I had her after learning with two girls, but I still have a long ways to go in cultivating more patience.

Not only with her, but for myself as well.

Last year was pretty tough with me in having her transition from half days with both preschool & Kindergarten to having a full day of school! I know the transition was a little hard on her at first, but she seemed to adjust to it pretty quickly. Her teacher tells me she is one of the most well-behaved girls in the class. She is the first one to turn in her class work, and never has to move her clip. She only has green apples marked in her take home folder which is better than having the red apples colored in! Her teacher tells me all these good things about her in a class setting, but when she comes home...she lets it all out! Her energy, and excitement. Sometimes it's naughty, and sometimes it's good. Maybe she just likes being home, or is happy to see all her sisters including Noah. After all, she is the last one to come home.

One of my goals this year is to be more patient, and try not put her in time out so much. I have also talked with her, and told her that she needs to do her part too in helping me with this goal.

Still...I often wonder, and have come to the realization that she has a totally different personality compared to her sisters when they were six. I NEVER had any stress with them, and I still don't!

I know that Heavenly Father put her in my life at the time that He did as a mother to teach me many things.

 Patience being one of them.

Patience to not yell at her, and say anything hurtful.

 Patience to listen to her excessive talking about anything and everything. (She's just like her dad!)

Patience to never assume she's always the one at fault when someone has colored on the walls, or has broken something. (Sometimes it's Noah!)

 Patience to always hear both sides of the stories when it comes to a 16 year old and a six year old. 

Patience to understand a six year old's point of view than my own.

 Patience to not take anything out on her or any of my children, because of something that has gone on in my personal life that wasn't good.

Patience is something that I didn't learn growing up, and something that my own mother didn't have. I feel as if I learned that from her, and at 40 years of age I'm still trying to get it right.

Will I ever achieve it in this life? I don't know. I certainly hope so, but with the way the world is today, and the way people treat each other it can be hard. 

I don't want to be like that. I really, really want to try my best to be patient with myself, my kids, my husband, certain friends, and even with members of the same faith.

It's a new year, and for some reason it feels different for me already. I know it's going to be better. I have faith that it will be better. It has to be better! Not only for myself, but for Chelsea as well. Looking at her precious smile, and countenance...who can get mad at that face!