When you have your first child, you make all kinds of mistakes.
Or what you believe to be mistakes. Or what you convince yourself are mistakes. I’m not convinced, however, that they are actual mistakes. That child is learning to be someone’s child and you are learning to be someone’s parent. You’re learning together and there are going to be inevitable ups and downs in that relationship.
I know that I made what some may call mistakes when I first became a parent. Moments that are snapshots of time, forever etched in my mind where I could have done so much better by our first born. The craziness though is that I’m probably the only one that remembers them as parenting failure moments or even remembers them at all.
It’s different with my boys. Well, to some degree anyway. Yes, I misstep, lose my temper, come to the end of my patience. Have an afternoon that will.not.end. But those kids of mine, they rescue me every time. They are the sun, the bright, in the darker moments, when all isn’t well with the world, (or even just our little world.)
In Jamie’s essay “the one about living with a super hero” she reminds me of me. Her oldest boy is like my oldest boy… just like me. In all my glory, (and not so glorious traits,) he is like looking in a mirror sometimes.
“Being him is hard in our house. We rely on him to be the big brother, the big kid, and all the while expect him to understand words like responsibility, effort, and attention.”
Oh boy, Jamie, do I know. But like you said, “he rescues me….[and] even super heroes need a mommy.”
*****
Jamie’s essay “the one about living with a super hero” from Chosen Chaos is my choice for the Love Links winner. It spoke to me, to my relationship with all of my children, and having difficult yet loving and meaningful bonds with them. My kids are my super heroes because every time I think I can’t go on, cook one more meal or do one more load of laundry, one of them is there with a smile or a hug and I get a transfer of powers-just like the Wonder Twins!- and I can go on for one more day.
*****
Thanks, Erica, for the chance to be a part of the Lovelinks Very Important Week here on free fringes. I really enjoyed reading all of the submissions and want you all to know that it was difficult to come up with just one post. Keep writing and keep submitting, Y’all are some great writers and I’ve enjoyed getting to know each of you through your lovely words! Thanks for having me. Hope I didn’t over stay my welcome! xo
- Chosen Chaos first pick: 40 points
- Momalog second pick: 20 points
- Peter DeWolf third pick: 10 points
Lovelinks leaderboard:
- Chosen Chaos 40
- Momalog 20
- Peek-a-Berry 20
- Bitches 10
- Peter DeWolf 10
- Sweaty 5
GO JAMIE!!!!!!!
Yayyy Jamie! You Rock, girl! So happy your talents are being recognized. You are the whole package as a Mommy blogger! You’re funny, you’re witty, you’re sincere, you’re caring, and you’re one kick-ass Mom!!
Congratulations!!! :^)
Erica – You Rock too, girl! Thanks so much for all you do to help others grow!!
Thanks so much friend!!
Congrats, Jaime! Happy to see you back, my dear! And also to my long-time friend, Ado. You know I think you’re brilliant! To my new friend, Peter… glad to be in good company!
Much love,
Sweaty
Thanks Sweaty!! I appreciate it!!
Thank you so much @headlessmom for your pick! I have a permagrin! It’s made such an impact on me to have these thoughts resonate with so many others. Even though I know I’m not the only one out there it’s nice to be reminded! Thank you!!
A BIG congrats to Jamie, Ado and Peter! I loved each of your posts– great work, guys! 🙂
SUCH an important message @chosenchaos! We’re hard on ourselves as parents – but never lose site of the goodness we do daily. And often times it’s our little ones that deliver that message, whether they know it or not. Great pick!
Yeah, I loved Jaime’s post. The thing that did me in was the photo of that tiny cape on the stairs. It said so much. Congrats Jaime (-:
Great picks @headlessmom! Congrats to those who were picked!
Yay Jamie! I loved that essay (and that @headless mom called it an essay) and after I read it went to give my oldest super-hero a hug and a snuggle, just to remind him that he’s still my baby, even if he is almost eleven.
Thank you!! Calling it an essay did make me feel very writer-ish!
Congrats Jamie!!
Thanks so much!
Thank you Alison!