I was the best mom in the world before I had kids!

I was the best mom in the world before I had kids! That was when my kids were perfect. The phrase, “My child would never…” constantly came to mind when I saw someone else’s child acting up in public. Now, I am a mom of two wonderful children. My husband, Josh, and I are truly blessed to have a three year old son, Preston, and a four and a half month old daughter, Emory. 

However, reality has struck.

For instance, before I had children, my child would never…

• Throw a fit in a store.
  I truly thought that I could teach my child to always be polite and never throw fits. Funny, just a couple of weeks ago, Preston and I were in a store where he saw his “favorite movie” (nevermind that his “favorite movie” changes from week to week). He reached out of the shopping cart trying to grab it, and when I told him “no,” he lost it. He started crying. And, wouldn’t you know, that one of my husband’s good friends strolled by at that exact moment.  
• Eat a separate meal from the rest of the family. 
  When I saw other families catering to their children about what to eat for dinner, I thought they were crazy. Never would I allow my children to eat something different. They need to learn how to eat the same meal. While I still feel very adamant about this, I can see why this happens. For example, Preston doesn’t like the texture of ground beef. So, when we eat hamburgers, he eats a hot dog. I haven’t given in to making completely separate meals, but we have certainly gotten creative with how we deliver meals. Something with ground beef may have an extra spoonful of sour cream to entice him!!  
• Misbehave in a restaurant.
  Low and behold, not too long ago we were out with friends at a restaurant, and guess who was playing underneath the table?! That’s right…my child and one of his friends. Gross!! Do you know how many germs are on the floor underneath a table at a restaurant?  
• Have to be bribed.
  Now that’s just funny. Bribery plays a role in our daily lives! “You can watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse after you get dressed and brush your teeth.” “You want a brownie for dessert? I need you to take three more bites of dinner!”  “If you can wake up dry, then you can check out a book from the library.”

In talking with some friends, here are some other examples that came up:

• My kids will never sleep with us. 
• My child will like everyone.
• My child will be potty-trained before he/she is three. 

Lessons I've learned:

• Don’t judge. Sometimes things just don’t go as we planned, and that’s okay. 
• All children are different. We are learning quickly that there is a big difference between Preston and Emory. Just because something works for child number one, things may be completely different for child number two. So, once you get it all figured out, things change!
• Pick your battles. Select the things you are passionate about to make a big deal. Otherwise, go with the flow. Is it really worth it?
• Never say never. It’s easy to get caught up in knowing exactly how you would parent your children before you have them. It’s another story once they get here and you find out that they have a mind and personality of their own. 

So, while I’ve learned that I’m not the best mom in the world, my prayer is that we can teach our children what is truly important in life and not get hung up on the things that don’t really matter. 

 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6

Julie Swink is a Sr. Marketing Specialist for Texas Health Resources, mom of two, and a believer in the phrase "never say never."