patience

I have come to realize that the holidays aren't only stressful for the parents of this world, but it's a pretty challenging time for the kids too. For them it's primarily excitement (and lots of extra sugar), but their enthusiasm isn't always expressed appropriately. One would think that given their awareness of Santa watching, baby Jesus coming (which is becoming a bigger deal with their Christian education), and the Elf on the Shelf, the kids would be on their best behavior. That is just not the case. So I have made a decision about how I can make the holidays better for my family. This holiday season I will have the patience of Mother Teresa. I will cuddle the cranky, teething toddler without worrying about what else I should be doing. I will try to do something every day to make sure that my kids have a fun day, even if it means that they come in covered from nose to knees in mud. I will count to ten before I yell. I will not stress out about play-doh being ground into the carpet or sandy footprints in the hallway. And I will not take my frustrations out on the only other adult in the house.
I expect my kids to be kind and respectful. I won't tolerate bad behavior, but I am going to find a little more patience for each one of them. They deserve it, and I think we will all have a happier holiday if I can.