“A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.” (Dutch Proverb)
Good Morning!
For me, the hardest thing to learn when raising my children was patience. The dictionary defines patience “as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset”. If we go by that definition, I had very little.
Having ADHD definitely was a factor. My brain was always moving so quickly I think my body just wanted to keep up, so I was always in a hurry. And I was continually getting frustrated with my children because they did not move at the same pace that I did.
My first two children managed to keep up pretty well. There were lots of “hurry ups” but for the most part their ADHD kicked in and off we went. My third child was much more thoughtful and did things much more deliberately. I still feel guilty about rushing her to eat her dinner every night. Our family thought that she was such a slow eater and every night we just stared at her while she finished. I can only imagine how that little girl felt. I hope she has forgiven all of us.
It was because of my third child that I finally learned to be patient. She taught me to slow down and enjoy the moment. She taught me that rushing around was not doing anyone any good so maybe it was time to just relax a bit. I still am not the most patient person in the world – Long lines still make antsy, I have a hard time waiting for my new purchases to come in the mail and I still have a tendency to rush through meals. But I am a whole lot better than I was and a lot more aware of the need to be more patient. It is truly amazing how much I learned from all of my children!
I know how hard it to be patient with your children. Some days it seems like they purposely slowing down just to spite you. :). They don’t by the way, they just move at a much different slower and more rewarding pace.
So…If you already are patient, that is wonderful, and you are ahead of the game. If you aren’t patient, watch your children and let them teach you. You might be amazed at how much you learn and how rewarding it can be!
Have some fun today!
peggy
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