Sunday, April 20, 2008

i'm a great mom!

yesterday, i attended our stake's women's conference. it was a great experience! it was the first one that i had been to in a long time and it was so uplifting and energizing!

during the conference i attended 2 classes. one was on parenting and the other was on marriage. both classes were excellent!

whenever i attend these types of events there are different things that stand out or things that really strike a chord within me. you know those moments when you think, "wow! that was meant just for me!"

well, this conference was no different! while i was in the parenting class, brother winkle was sharing a personal story about a time when his grandchildren had spent the night. that morning, his 7 year old grandson woke up hungry and proceeded into the kitchen to make some breakfast. brother winkle continues to describe what his 7 year old grandson did; he went to the cupboard and pulled out the griddle, got some bread and some eggs and began making himself some french toast! this kid was only 7 years old, the same age as our oldest (who, by the way does not know how to make french toast, but that might just be because she doesn't like french toast!)!

brother winkle then explained, and this was my "wow, i'm a great mom" moment, "the reason my grandson was able to make his own french toast at age 7 is because his mother is a great mom! in the morning, she sleeps in and because of it he is learning to be independent and self-reliant!"

yippee and hallelujah!

i used to feel guilty that i am not a morning person, that i sleep in well past the time when my kids get up, but now i know that all this time i was just being a great mom!

so, from now on i will stop feeling bad when i wake up late and go downstairs to find all three of our girls playing with each other and taking care of themselves! when the morning sunlight has been streaming in my bedroom window for several hours and i am trying to coax myself out of bed, i will just keep telling myself "you're being a great mom! you're being a great mom!" as i roll over and go back to sleep!

25 comments:

Bridget said...

Hey, I like the new look on your blog! Nice makeover. Those sunglasses on Kawena are so cute. Of course I recognize them as the preschool prize variety. :)

You are a great mom! Sleeping in or not. You're doing a great job!

Stephanie said...

Okay, you are an AMAZING mom, and I need your trick on how to get the kids to leave you along in the morning so you can sleep. I live my life trying to figure out ways to get more sleep in the morning. I know, it's pathetic...no wait, it just means I'm a great mom!

tutu lady said...

I second that motion, You are a great mom! Of course you knew what I would think of that. First of all you had to train them to be trust worthy. Keep up the good work.

Tonya said...

Yes Mahina, you are a great Mom! It was so much fun laughing with you and Elizabeth at Women's Conference about our sleep in habits. I sure wouldn't get as many breakfast's in bed if I was up with my kids at the crack of dawn everyday. Just this morning I got hard boiled eggs from Sophia as they are her newest specialty. You are doing a great job!

calibosmom said...

This is great news! This means I am an amazing mom! My kids make their breakfast all the time! YIPEE! Thanks for making my day!

Rachael said...

Love the new look! I need blog lessons. I went to the same two classes and felt the same way, even though I wake everyone up at my house and feed them breakfast. Sat and Sunday I sleep in and they are all very capable. I love how he described his "mom" experience. I loved what President Dalton said too. I so needed to hear everything that was taught. You are a wonderful mother!!!

Melissa-Mc said...

I love the new look of your blog. Maybe I should start taking a hefty nap around 5:00 pm. Ya think I'd wake up to a nice dinner made by the kids? :)

Scott-n-Allison said...

So in all their independence, do they also clean up the mess that they make while you're helping them be independent by sleeping in?

Sleeping in for me is 7am and then I feel guilty all day that I wasted so much time in the morning sleeping. Teach me your trick!

Anonymous said...

ah ha! Self-reliance, I will remember to tell myself that in the morning.

Dustin and Camila said...

So then I wonder, what makes a good husband??

Amanda D said...

I am so glad that my laziness is okay! I now give myself permission to sleep in and not feel guilt. Thanks...

The other day I slept until 6:40 (usually we pull kids out of bed at 6:30), and when I went in to get my oldest, he wasn't there. He was downstairs, dressed, with bowls, cereal and milk on the counter. I was so impressed. Maybe we should sleep in late more often!

Great blog make-over. I love it!

jessica said...

Thank you for washing away all my guilt about not being a morning person. I have friends who wake up at the crack of dawn to exercise before their kids are awake and then make them pancakes on a school day! I always felt like such a loser...not anymore!Yay! I'm a good mom too!

jessica said...
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Malia said...

Haha nice! youre a great mom for more than that though! Mom was a great mom too... I remember getting up in the morning, making breakfast, packing my lunch and kissing mom by in the morning as she slept... I also remember one day taking a stack of oreos for lunch... so nutritious! I also remember trying to surprise mom with breakfast one morning and needing the blender, it was high up in one of the cupboards and as I was trying to get it, it went crashing down to the ground shattering, so i couldnt make breakfast and we didnt have a blender for the next 10 years ! oops.

Tonya said...

Where did you get your new background? Did you lose pictures trying to do it? I found one site that gives you free backgrounds that will not make pictures disappear, but I would love more options. Your blog is so cute!

Elizabeth Dimit said...

Oh, yeah. Next time you call me at 9:45 a.m. and you hear my sleepy voice and you know where I'm at, you'll know I'm feeling good about being a GRRREATT mom! :-)

Teresa said...

haha!!! That's great:-)

(you really are a great mom!)

Megan said...

I love that story!! Nate often gets himself breakfast and helps Jocy get hers. At first I was nervous thinking they'd spill the milk everywhere. I can't imagine the panic I would be in if he got out a griddle! Now I'll sleep even more peacefully knowing all the damage he can really do is spill the milk. :)

Michal said...

i am doing this all wrong. if i try to sleep in, my kids come to my bedside and beg for breakfast. sheesh.

you are a good mom. don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Tonya said...

Thanks for the info on your background! She has super cute ones...did you notice that way down on her page she has 8 new ones that will not erase your sidebar?? That is what I am looking for so thank you! I got mine at www.cutestblogontheblock.blogspot.com. All of hers are designed to NOT erase the sidebar. I'm grateful for computer smart people that can help computer lame peoples like me out:0)Oh, and you're still a great Mom!

Lauren in GA said...

You are a good mom, indeed!!!! I loved this! :)

Ilene said...

It seems that brother winkle speaks correct doctrine. I need to do better at teaching my 3 year old to take care of himself and his little brother so I can sleep in a bit more.

I am impressed that 7 year old knew that french toast was a breakfast meal. My kids think it is for dinner since I never wake up early enough (or happy enough) to make a big breakfast.

Flyin' Hawaiian said...

malia, i remember that too! but i think the lack of a blender (and therefore lack of milk shakes) for the next 10 years more than compensated for our oreo lunches .. i also remember when we made ramen for breakfast and you choked .. and like a good mom .. she was downstairs in under 2 seconds

mahina, i think this means that i am going to be a great dad someday too!

Kristi David said...
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Kristi David said...

There is something to be said about the "lazy parenting" theory. I agree with it. I do get guilt though when I haven't taken the kids outside for a while!