Tag: mom

Birthdays

Jennifred Jones

Today our family celebrated two birthdays! One of them was mine.

Growing up my birthday fell at a busy time of year and often was overlooked, which didn’t seem to bother me too much, that’s just the way it was. Many of my friends got lots of birthday presents and often I didn’t get any. One year in elementary school another girl asked me what I got for my birthday and I said “nothing”. The next day she asked me again. I told her nothing and felt so embarrassed, so I added, ‘but I probably will.’ So she asked me again the third day what I got for my birthday and I said, “nothing”.

So I think I tried to down play the importance of birthdays, not make a big deal about them because that’s how mine was treated. Mom and Dad loved me, but they were too busy.

After we kids left home, Mom started a little notebook. She would write down everybody’s birthday, especially little kids she knew from church, and without fail send them a birthday card.

Everyone loved my mom and loved receiving a card from her. It meant alot to them to be remembered.

It was about remembering another person, their life and their value.

I am so thankful for her good example. I love her and I miss her.

I hope each of us stop and see the value of our own lives, and in honoring them, begin to honor and value other’s lives more dearly.

Today I will plan ahead to remember and honor one person on their birthday.

Who You Talking to Mom?

Jennifred Jones

It’s a parental habit developed when the kids are small. You are conversing with them about daily happenings even though they aren’t talking yet…maybe even listening.

The ongoing narrative about what you’re doing, what’s happening next, what’s on your mind as you go about the day.

It’s a form of early learning about the ins-and-outs of family life, whereby from infant-hood on up the kids see (hear) how the family works.

The kids leave home and there’s nobody to talk to….

They come back for a visit, or you go see them and next thing you know, you’re narrating again to them what you are doing.

“Who you talking to, Mom?” my daughter says 🙂

“I don’t know, anybody who’ll listen, I guess.” I reply.

Once a mom, always a mom.

Now the narration is happening with the grand-babies.

Maybe, it could be classified as a form of storytelling…

Do you do this too?

The ‘Scream’ Door

Jennifred Jones

When we were little, before central air conditioning, mother left the doors open on good days to let the fresh air blow through the screen door. For some reason my brother called it the scream door. Maybe it was because mom would go to the door and yell for us kids to come in or stop fighting or whatever else we were doing outside that she didn’t want us doing.

I don’t want to be a screamer.

There were times when my kids were small that I used to find myself raising my voice and yelling at them — a lot! I hated to see the look on their little faces when I yelled at them, but I was desperate to gain control. We have 6 kids, all grown now, and sometimes I didn’t know the best way to handle things so I’d end up yelling.

One day after I’d gotten them all to bed, at that time we had 4, I began to think about my yelling at them and realized I didn’t want my kids growing up and all they could remember was their mother yelling at them. How horrible would that be?!!!

I made a quality decision right then that I’d not raise my voice and yell at them anymore and asked God to hold me to it and help me.

Everytime I was tempted to yell at them I’d remember what I didn’t want to be remembered for and I’d be able to control my voice. I also found myself apologizing to all my kids for yelling at them and told them how much I really loved them and wanted them. I’ve had to apologize to them a lot since then about other things, but I believe I have my kids’ hearts and they have mine.

Now that the grandkids are coming along, I don’t want them being yelled at and I am so glad God helped me change my example. I’m sure they will go through trying times as I did, but they will work it through and hopefully make the better choice each time.

Is there someone you need to talk to about your voice?

A soft answer turns away anger.

You will end up doing good things.