Friday, September 29, 2017

Go To Sleep!

Not to be a broken record, but I hate bedtime.  I despise it! It is stressful and makes me feel like an inadequate parent. It is hard and it's a constant battle to stay calm and stay patient. People keep telling me I need to enjoy the snuggles and bedtime stories and I try. I really do, but I just want to sleep.

Lately, I have started going to bed after I get Kiddo 2 to sleep. This allows me to get an hour or so of sleep before Kiddo 1 wakes me up so I can put her to sleep. She has decided that Daddy does not know how to run her feet correctly. I never knew I was a master foot rubber and back scratcher.  Tonight, Kiddo 2 woke up as I was trying to get Kiddo 1 to sleep, so I went and tried to get K2 back to sleep. To my amazement, Kiddo 1 stayed in bed and fell asleep on her own.  Miracles do happen! Kiddo 2 is teething or accidently drank a kid's milk cup at daycare or is having a reaction from pineapple or something. It's not always easy to figure out what is wrong with toddlers. Regardless of the reason, it has caused her to wake up 3 times in 4 hours. So my dislike of bedtime was multiplied tonight. 

I know I should treasure these moments when my kids snuggle up with me and when Kiddo 1 tells me she loves me way much as I rub her back. I know these moments are going to be gone before I know it. I know one day they will not want to sit in my lap or give me hugs or want me to touch them. One day, oh, one day they will fall asleep on their own. One day I will get sleep again. I know all of this, but it is so hard to enjoy the moment. It is hard to enjoy the snuggles and not resent the fact that I just want to sleep for more than three hours at a time. It is hard to enjoy the bedtime stories when I just want to have time to myself or clean the house or get work done. It is just hard! Instead of focusing and treasuring these moments, I let my frustration distract me.

How often do we as teachers do this in the classroom? How many moments do we miss in the classroom because we let our frustration get in the way? Why do I have to remind a student to get in line quietly, be kind to their classmates or stay in their spot? Why didn't they listen the first time I gave the direction or explained the project? Why...? I should be focusing on these moments with my students instead of letting my frustration steal my time with them. As a music and PE teacher, I only see my students 1-2 days a week. Our time together is short and the school year goes by quickly.

Today at the Keynote for the Indiana District Teachers Conference, George Couros said that your everyday is your legacy. Everyday we are building memories with our students and our families. What do you want to remember? The nights of frustration because your kids won't sleep or the goofy moments reading books and the sweet moments of snuggles? The light bulb moments when things click for your students, the acts of kindness or the everyday frustrations? I know what I want to remember. I don't think there are many who want to remember the frustrations.

It is a process. It is a struggle. Everyday and every night, I am going to be intentional about enjoying the moment with my kids and my students. They deserve it and I deserve it.

Action Steps (These are steps I have found useful to help me stay in the moment and enjoy the little moments with my kids and students.

1. Breathe: I hate when people close to me tell me to just breathe, but it really does help.

2. Pray: Prayer helps me stay in the moment.  Plus it gives me something to do besides have angry conversations in my head.

3. Put my phone away.

4.  Smile and be present.



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