While we were doing all these things, though, I realized something about my children....they are demanding, impatient little pains in the behind! Now, this does not in any way mean that I don't love them, or love them any less than I did, but I got a chance to see them in a different light, and I was not pleased with everything I saw.
For one thing, I realized my children are VERY used to getting their own way. K Man pitched a fit and pouted when I wouldn't sit at the picnic table he picked- it was by a very large hole that was roped off. When I told Hope she couldn't have another soda, she sneaked one and proceeded to open it. They ultimately thought this was funny but I did not.
Thing Number 2 that I realized is that my children have very little PATIENCE. We got to our fishing spot, set up "camp" and hunkered down to wait on the fish. Now, I know that for a lot of us, the fun in fishing is found simply in casting the line. But if you really want to catch a fish, you have to cast, then wait patiently as the fish decide whether or not they are going to be kind to you on that particular day. Keifer's line had not been in the water two minutes when he wanted to reel it back in and cast it into another spot. It was explained to him that he would not catch a fish that way. He settled in on a rock, but still continued to ask every two minutes about reeling in and recasting. And don't even get me started on Hope. She brought her baby and her InnoTab and had no interest in fishing. She was tuned in electronically and could have cared less about anything but that tablet and getting snacks from the cooler. So much for enjoying nature!
Diligent work was done to play games and tell stories to pass the time. We even had the privilege of getting to watch a mother Osprey teach her babies how to fly. It was AMAZING, but my children were not that impressed by it. Which leads me to my next point....my children do not have a lot of awe or respect for nature. Maybe they are a little young, but I want them to be blown away by the beauty and wonder of nature and animals.
Finally, I came to the realization that when my children are even the slightest bit tired, their manners go right out the window and they act like they are entitled to whatever it is they want. Mama was NOT happy with this at all! I was embarrassed and actually, a little pissed at them.
All in all, though, it was a great day of enjoying good company and building relationships. I have smiled more over memories of this past Saturday than I have over major events in my life. It was just that good of a day. Now, wait a minute, you might be thinking. Didn't you just tell us all about the things your kids did that annoyed you? Well, yes I did. But you see, the good of the day completely outweighed the bad. I was, however, able to see my children from a different perspective. I have spent much of the past several years giving in to them because I have felt guilty that they don't have their father in their house or even in their town. What I realized on Saturday is that it is time to let go and let my children grow up. It is time to use a firmer hand with them. It is time to make sure I am molding and shaping the people they are becoming. It is time to know when to discipline, when to reteach and when to let something go. It's time I stand up and claim my place as their mother and not their "guilty mother". I want them to be as much of a joy and blessing to others as they are to me.
So, just like with fishing, I'm going to cast my line, find my spot in the sand, and patiently lure- um, I mean guide- my children the right way. Sometimes it might take some bait to get them there, but as long as they latch on to the right things, they will be keepers for sure!
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