Ah, I really am not a scrooge...but sometimes I feel like it. I spent the whole weekend decorating, and I can't say that I enjoyed it. I like the END product, but I dislike doing it. Maybe it's because it is so late in December because we were traveling and I felt like we were having to play catch up, but it's a lot of work trying to get things together for Christmas...and everything is still a mess! There are boxes everywhere. We still have to go get a tree today. So, there's still the task of getting that up with the lights, ornaments, etc. I still have to get a bunch of things packed up and sent off to my parents house to arrive in time for Christmas. All of this while trying to care for the kids, too...
Gosh, and I love this month..I just said that in my previous post...and I used to laugh at people who sounded like me and made it sound stressful, but I think it truly does get harder and harder each year as you have kids and more commitments! (And you feel like you have to decorate your house because you're older and your neighbors are doing it...and so you have to keep up..and be grown up..after all, your parents did all of this stuff for YOU) I'm not even baking cookies which I won't get to, I'm sure.
I told my husband I feel like a failure as a mother because I feel I am not providing my kids all those warm "Christmas experiences" that I remember in some ways as defining Christmas for me as a child. I'm trying, mind you, I'm trying...but I guess I have to find what works for me without stressing me to the core. I am sure I am doing my best, but I guess when it comes right down to it, I'm not the Model Mother out of Better Homes and Gardens with the Perfectly Decorated Holiday Home in Pristine Condition and the Fabulously Dressed Kids eating the Wonderfully Created Christmas Cookies. Sometimes, I feel like that's what being a Stay at Home Mom at holidays should be about. Silly, and laughable, because if you knew me, I could never live up to that standard. Or even have the patience...
My mother told me last week when I was home how impressed she was with both me and my sister in how we raise our children. I think given our personalities in other areas, she has been amazed that we deal with them with such patience. She said she was never such a patient parent. I don't remember my mom being impatient, but perhaps she was more than I realize? Maybe that was the key..maybe piling on all the stressful things that I described above made her a bit so? Perhaps I just resist a little of that so that I have a little less stressful life and can be a little more patient with my kids.
Whatever the case..let's all try to do whatever it takes to keep the stress level down this month.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I feel the same way..my Mom was so big on Christmas and I feel like I must do everything and perfectly. But then I think, what will my kids remember most? A few decorations and fun activities with Mommy being happy, or a lot of decorations and cookie baking, etc and a screaming stressed out mommy?
Amen! The pressure from neighbors and your parents to decorate and do things just like they do is huge. It's weird if you ask me. Kind of like the cult of Christmas. ;-)
I think what we're going to end up doing in our house every year is having a really simple Christmas here (modest decorations, decorate premade cookies, that kind of thing -- only the stuff we actually enjoy) and then we'll take the kids to my mom's house so they can experience "the other side"...
you called me a booger!! *giggle*
We have always done the house simple...even buying small trees that we plant every year. But not this year-we have sean's friend flying in and we decided to test out our celebrating skills and host skills. We figure we should practice the holiday cheer and company since the little one will probably attract hoardes of relatives to our house. The only kids in this family have been me and my brother-so it's about time we all ventured back to "the other side". Bless the poor little child that is about to enter this family!
Post a Comment