Last Sunday, while I was lying in bed trying to ignore the fact that my three children were already running wild, I heard the dreaded, “Mommy, come quick!”
Of course, I jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen only to find my floor covered in Honey Nut Cheerios with a gallon of milk dripping down from the counter. Yup, a great way to start the morning. I instantly began yelling – actually, it might have been closer to a deep growl – and my youngest son started to cry. As I attempted to clean up the mess, my dog walked through it, making a long trail of milky footprints, just as my daughter dumped an entire box of crayons on the floor.
I was angry, and I let everyone know it. But then, in the middle of it all, my big boy grabbed my arm and said, “Mom, is this a big problem or a little problem?” And I stopped dead in my tracks. What?! Who was this little person looking right into my eyes, asking me such a grown-up question? I mean, he is only five!
But guess what, he was absolutely right. This was not a big problem! This was a tiny problem that could easily be fixed with a roll of paper towels and some Clorox wipes. What I really needed to do was take a deep breath and relax. So that’s exactly what I did. I grabbed my little ones and planted a kiss on each of their foreheads, and then got to work cleaning up. The dog turned out to be pretty helpful after all.
So next time when….
My daughter gets into my makeup bag and smears my fave lipstick on the mirror,
I’m running late again,
My little guy misses the mark when going potty,
The folded laundry is thrown on the floor,
My big boy refuses to pick up his Legos,
Dinner is left a little too long on the stove,
I will ask myself – Is this a big problem or a little problem? Really, what’s the worst-case scenario? Is it worth losing my cool? Most likely, it’s not. As a mom, I get so caught up in the day-to-day stuff that I lose sight of what’s really important. As long as my kids are fed, dressed, happy, and healthy, everything else will be ok.
Now, if only I could get my five-year-old to be as thoughtful with his school work….
