loopyloulaura

On a complete tangent: I have only just realised that the prompts for Blogtober have been A to Z!

Hmm, I am not a very tolerant person and, although it is terrible for my soul, I do not forgive and forget.

This is to protect me and those I love from the pain of broken trust and comes from bitter experience.

There are things that I will not tolerate as a parent: rudeness, violence, refusal to try.

This last one is the most frustrating and the one that most of my parenting seems to revolve around.

So, please kids, I am tired of nagging and the same conversations EVERY DAY: remember to close your mouth when eating and use your cutlery without flailing around and almost taking out your sibling’s eye; try the different food/clothes/experience without a fuss; make the effort with your homework and use it as a chance to shine.

Trying is hard, I know that. Being scared of failure is normal but it shouldn’t prevent you trying.

I have watched children refuse to try in exams and I would be horrified if any of my children wasted such an opportunity and 11 years of education!

As a parent, the times that I have been most proud is when the children have overcome their own doubts and the times that I have been most annoyed is when they refuse to try or make a huge fuss that is out of proportion to what they have been asked to do.

The children know I’m right! The times that they have had the most fun is when they have persevered and overcome their fears (riding a bike, sleepovers, Beavers and Cubs activities).

The times that I have been most proud of myself is when I have stepped out of my comfort zone, been brave and challenged myself with new experiences (giving birth, starting a blog and going to blogger conferences, driving on motorways) and I want the kids to know that sense of achievement too.

So I will continue with my zero tolerance towards a refusal to try and watch proudly as they succeed…