We got new neighbors this week. The two girls with six schnauzers living inside have moved on. I always get nervous when someone new moves in. Mainly because I hope they understand exactly what kind of crazy they are now living next door too.
You see – Our house is a mad place!!!
I know some like to pretend their homes are bliss, filled with magic fairy dust where mom and dad declare their love in words like- You’re my soul mate, My one true love, my best friend, our marriage and love get better and better with each new day, we have the most amazing kids, blah, blah, blah…
It seems sometimes in life all we share is the best days- But behind closed doors daggers fly as mom and dad tag team and race from one end of the house to the other. A child screams, something crashes, the cat somehow got shut up in the dryer, “Child 2 has got the scissors and he looks evil!!!” the list goes on and on.
Being a family is tough and sometimes you wonder if you should just order a life supply of magic erasers.
There isn’t a day goes by I don’t yell at two little sassy toddler boys.
I know, I know… God forbid it – How dare I yell at my kids? I mean think of the emotional damage I’m doing.
I never wanted to be that parent. I wanted to be the calm, patient parent who corrected with a peacful time out and the child would be compliant to the Tee.
Okay, you can stop laughing.
Seriously, stop laughing.
It’s not funny.
I really feel bad about it.
The truth is I yell at times.
Get Down. Stop that. Don’t hit your brother in the head with a dump truck… And no matter how many times when they are diving under beds, scaling up the fridge, peeing in the tub, or squirting tooth paste all over the place you wonder to yourself –
My God what do the neighbors think of me…?
Listen, parenting is tough. You’re going to get mad. Pull out your hair. Hide in the basement where you’ll binge eat on Oreos. The important thing to remember- No one has life figured out. So stop worrying about the neighbors.
So enjoy the adventure story you are writing. Maybe the neighbors are the strange ones…
Do you have any rough parenting stories…? I would Love to Hear them- Comment below.
J.J. Johnson A Geeky Dad who Reads, Writes, and Loves God…