Tripletville Adventures : You are not my friend

These are the words I heard from my mother as a teenager and those same words will most likely come out of my own mouth when my children become teenagers themselves. I say those words to my students at the beginning of every year because I am their teacher and sometimes I will do things that will make them angry and they may not understand but it will all be to make them better students. The same will apply to my children.

I often piggy back my blogs on mom videos I've seen, blogs I've read, conversations I've had or even a quote I saw on my Facebook newsfeed. This week, I saw this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4OKjNB7KMo

...and I just couldn't help but think of what my parenting will look like when my kids are older. I really hope I can be like her because I tell ya, I believe in all she says. I also see the negative effects letting your children be kings and queens in the house has on them as a person. I have many little entitled children in my classrooms because parents never want them to be mad at them. I tell ya, if it takes my kids being mad at me for a week to turn them into decent human beings, so be it, I'll suck it up. If 100% of my kids are mad at me at the same time, BRING IT ON, I'll suck that up too. I have plenty of friends and hopefully my children will let me be their friend when they are adults but my JOB as a parent is to LOVE my children. This means I have to love them enough to let them be mad at me when I'm trying to teach them a lesson about life. It means I have to love them enough to let them make their own mistakes every once in a while. It means I love them enough to tear them away from people who will just break them. It means I love them enough to care about the type of men they will become. It means I love them enough to make sure they become people I would WANT to be friends with. So yes, my children, you are not my friends, not yet anyways, because my job is to LOVE YOU.

And do I ever... I was looking at them today and wondering why they can't stay in this amazing puppy phase forever. You know when your dog is a puppy and it's annoying because it chews on everything and still isn't potty trained but you just wish it would stay little forever? Well that's how I feel about my children at the moment. Yes, they have their moments but for the most part they are SO DAMN CUTE!!! Like they'll just give me pretend food all the time (I'm sure it's because they know I love food but can't eat all I want so they pretend haha). They make up amazing dances and songs. They LAUGH SO MUCH!!! They greet me as if I'm the best person they've ever seen (I can't wait for that teenage scowl coming into my house...). They're learning new things and new words and it's such a wonder to see it as it happens. They, 90% of the time, are so full of joy it warms my heart. I know that in a few short years they won't let me squeeze them as they do now so I just want this stage to stay so I'll have my amazing little men forever with me. Is it bad that I just don't want them to grow up? Maybe I'll say the same every year though? Who knows...

This week we started a new bedtime routine because we just couldn't do what we had been doing. I HATED the idea of Cry It Out as toddlers because in my heart I knew they would feel the abandonment much worse than they did as babies. After talking with a few friends and my mother, I decided to bring it up to Gab and see what he thought. We decided that they were finally old enough to understand that we wouldn't abandon them. We decided to go in, read them a book, tuck them in, say good night and close the door and leave. Monday, they cried for about 25 minutes and I went in at a few different intervals but I didn't have to sit in the room, hold anyone's hand or get my back all out of sorts for sitting in there for an hour! Second night, I closed the door again and Zachary was NOT a happy camper at all, he pounded at the door for about 15 minutes until I went in. He looked at me with his sad little eyes and led me to his bed. Poor little dude just wanted me to tuck him in... It broke my heart but I kept telling myself that we were doing what we thought was best (but WTFK right?). Third night, I left Gab in charge while I went to a Moncton Preemie Power meeting. Zachary wasn't taking it well that I left. It took Gab about 20 minutes to get them settled enough so they'd go to bed. He closed the door for about 10 minutes. Zachary was again the one who was the most upset. He went in tucked him in and all was well after. On Thursday, I didn't even have to close the door. I just had to reassure them that I would keep it open if they stayed in bed and they did! They tested the waters and walked out a few times, but without tears and went right back to bed. Promises of open doors and mini marshmallows in the mornings have changed our night time life! Man, what a change... please keep cross your fingers that it keeps going this well! Tonight was another good night! I was in charge and I'm still getting to write my blog... it's just wonderful!

That's all folks!

I don't have many pictures this week so these will have to do!