Parenting

Remind me again why children do not come with handbooks?

I am struggling with Tori right now. I can list the 1000's of things that make her amazing. In this single week I can tell you stories of how she has been there for her friend whose mom is fighting cancer, how she cut her hair more than she wanted to so she could donate it, how she loved on people in a million different ways. I can tell you she is away at a leadership camp for her church youth group because she is a natural born leader.

I cannot, however, tell you why she cannot stop losing stuff. I cannot tell you why she has dust bunnies that are more like dust jackrabbits in her room that do not phase her in the least. I cannot tell you why she thinks she can leave things where ever she feels like it. I cannot tell you why she is very concerned about her appearance and taking care of herself but refuses to take care of her things without prompting. And I cannot tell you how we are going to survive her teen years as we are already butting heads.

And I am gonna be bluntly honest. I am frustrated. Not a little annoyed frustrated. Tears and lost sleep kind of frustrated. I want to be this mom that does not nag, that does not yell, that is not always the disciplinarian. But I also expect my kids to meet certain expectations (enter annoying statement "as long as you live in my house...") and to be aware of how their actions affect others - especially their family.

I have great kids. I know I do. And I would like to take some credit for that. But sometimes I just wish it were easier. That their was a rule book of how to do it right.