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It’s a mom problem

Are you tired of blowing it with your kids?  Frustrated by your quickly flaring temper due to seemingly minor annoyances?  Do you wonder why you have such a low tolerance to interruptions in your schedule?

Girl can relate.

In my “Gigi” state of life, I could chalk it up to menopause.  That would be a valid excuse except – I’ve always struggled.

>In the infant stage – waking all hours of the night and surviving long, weary days.

>In the toddler years – struggling to gain the upper hand with the kid who refused to eat or blatantly pooped her pants during potty-training.

>In the grade school years, navigating ballgames, homework, and work schedules.

>The teen years (in the words of Jen Hatmaker, “bless”), navigating drama, keeping a pulse on relationships and possible hidden activities (we never did this when we were teens, right?).

>The releasing years of college, anguishing over when to step in and when to let them fall in their own pile.

I’ll admit, I thought I had the temper licked during the better part of the last phase.  We’re talking around a seven year stretch.

Enter:  the The Two-Year-Old (aka Tiny Tornado).

The cutest, smartest, most strong-willed tiny being to enter my life to date.

He makes his mother pale in comparison.  (I love you, my eldest  – you are the joy of my life, but even you know it’s true.  Congratulations on receiving my “blessing” of your teenage years.  Bless.)

Don’t misunderstand.  I love this child with all my being.  He and Gigi (pronounced, “Schzi-Schzi” by his royal highness) are tight.  As in morning cheerios-and-milk-sharing tight.

(Just the other day he refused to eat at home because he wanted cheerios at “Schzi-Schzi’s housh”).

He has my heart.

Even so, I’ve had a few out of body experiences (read:  flaring temper-where-did-you-come-from-I-haven’t-seen-you-since-2008).

Don’t get me wrong.  We’re not talking child abuse here.  Although I could see if left unchecked it could go south quickly.

Here’s the scenerio (see if you’re picking up what I’m laying down):

The Scenario

Rise with a to-do list in your head a mile long.

Fix breakfast, send hubs off to work, wipe down counters and load dishwasher, pop a load in the laundry, glance at your email.

While you’re distracted, toddler grabs a half-full cup of milk off the counter (which you did not realize he can now reach – how did he get that tall overnight?!) and dumps contents down his shirt and onto the floor you just mopped yesterday (in your 10 minutes of “free time”).

It wouldn’t be so bad, except this is his third offense of the morning.  (The first two you blew off because you were determined to make this day better – aka your attitude.)

But this.  This is IT.

You absolutely can not handle this last straw.  Clearly, you are entitled here.  Plus, he needs to know you mean business.  He is going to never do this again.  He.will.obey.

After you erupt all over your toddler, your kitchen, and any other kid who dares enter at that moment, you lock yourself in the bathroom, crossing your fingers no other catastrophes occur during your 5 minute siesta, and you

...have yourself a melt-down.

Welcome to motherhood.  You have arrived at reality.  The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Enter the MTO challenge

I have more to share with you, mom.  I’ve been in your shoes.  In fact, I am in your Sperrys/Nikes/Toms/Uggs/5-dollar-TJ Maxx-specials right now.

It’s BAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKKKKK!

This is not going down the same way.  I’m on the cusp of something good.

Something helpful.  Something GRACE-filled.

The MTO challenge is about moms coming together in support of one another.  Sharing frustrations, failures, goals, Scripture pillars, and encouragement.

MTO is a closed Facebook group, full of moms just like you, participating in a thriving, supportive community.

So what do you say, mom?  Are you ready for the MTO Challenge?  In the words of Thomas Edison:

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just

One More Time.

Let’s get a leg up on this frustration thing, shall we? Here’s how to join:

Click on this link to request to join.  Easy Peasy!

Mom, you can do ALL things through Christ, and this is the year to conquer the root of the temper.  I’ll be praying for you – you can pray for me too, ok?

See you soon!

*Image attribution: Photo credit: ©Depositphotos.com/cteconsulting

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