Finding Patience

For me, the hardest thing about the word patience is spelling it. I have to Google it every time. The second hardest would be having it with my children.

I’m usually a relatively calm person, but if there are two people on this planet that can really set me off and get me to see red, it’s Veronica and Adriana. Those two can drive me absolutely up the wall! For now, Juli can do no wrong.

A while ago, a friend told me about The Orange Rhino Challenge. Basically, a challenge to stop yelling at your kids. Up until recently, it was something that I was guilty of doing and always felt guilty about. John reminds me all that time; they’re just kids.

Although I haven’t fully jumped on the Rhino train, keeping my voice down is something that I have consciously (another word that I always have to Google) been making an effort to do. I wouldn’t dream of yelling at Juli, and just a few years ago, each of the older two were in her shoes. I was head over heels obsessed with them, and they could do no wrong.

I’ve started taking the girls outside in the morning to run out a bit of their energy and get a change of scenery. The time outdoors helps with getting them to calm down later on in the day and sometimes I get an hour or two of actual quiet time.

I’d say I’ve probably gone at least a week without yelling. Maybe even 10 days. I occasionally do have to raise my voice, but it’s more so to actually get their attention versus me being angry.

I’m glad that I’ve started to notice a change, because one of my worst fears has always been having my girls grow up thinking that I was a B. Hopefully I haven’t scarred them too much up until this point. 😉