Someone recently commented that I "make it look so easy"and while the part of me that really likes compliments REALLY liked reading that, another part of me thought I should say this:
This is a hard job and making it look easy is easy to do I guess, because it is anything but.
Yes, writing a BLOG is easy, but being a parent is the most challenging job a person can/will ever have. None of being a stay-at-home Mom is easy. Being home when I have always worked and contributed to my family financially is not easy, being in financial hardship is not easy, being away from my beloved co-workers (yes, I truly mean 'beloved', you haven't met these women, I MISS them SO much!) is not easy, being home and having one-sided conversations with a toddler for most of my day is not easy, being too tired to DO all the ideas I have is not easy either.
I LOVE this blog because it allows me in a way to contribute, to connect with other parents of small children, to share and vent, and ask for ideas & suggestions too. I'm trying hard here, not trying to make it look easy. When given a compliment, my Mom used to say, "I try hard." I remember thinking to myself how I wished I could be that humble and how I wished I could say that and really mean it too. I think what my Mom meant by saying, "I try hard." is that she always did her best. Because really all any of us CAN do: try.
All I can do is try, because there are plenty of times when things don't get done around here and I could really start to feel like a failure if I let myself focus on all I haven't done or could do. I just try hard. So for example if I write about making bird feed with kids and I don't ever actually do it with my own kids, at least I may have inspired YOU to make bird feed with YOUR kids.
So, I'm trying, but it's never easy. This job is really really hard.
I going to keep trying and hopefully inspire others to want to learn more about Maria Montessori and her amazing philosophy (I truly believe in the Montessori way of educating and caring for children), I going to try and give others who work with children a reminder about what really matters, and I going to try and not be so hard on myself when I don't meet all the expectations I have.
As always, thank you for reading this and your comments!
In PEACE~~MM
4 comments:
Thank you for the insight. You do make it look easy ;-), but you are right - parenting is hard. I am adjusting the other way - I haven't worked in over six years and am trying to get my bearings around just working part-time! Please keep the ideas coming - they really are inspiring!
Your blog and another Montessori blog are in my favourites because I, too, believe Montessori is one of the best educational philosophies around. I love reading what you're up to.
I wish I could get involved in Montessori in my country, but they're all in the cities and I'm a country girl.
I still try to incorporate Montessori ideas here at home, however. My daughter and I are constantly creating stuff and doing activities together. Anyway, your post struck a chord with me, so I'm noting for the first time.
Do you have any other Montessori blogs you can direct us to? Or Montessori online resources/curriculum docs?
~ Cindy
Thanks for the nice comments! It is so comforting to know others enjoy what I write about. I'm pretty sure MB who commented that I make it "look easy" wasn't talking about parenting but it inspired my POST. Thanks for sharing your thoughts too.
To Anonymous: I applaud you for providing the care and education style you believe in with little support from your community. Your daughter is blessed. Check my LINKS that inspire list for Montessori links (I highly recommend visiting Montessori By Hand and Grey's Circus for more ideas).
To Plaidshoes:Hang in there! Your daughter's school is so lucky to have a parent interested in Montessori and learning more. I hope to provide more ideas you can use in the classroom and at home. Thanks for sharing.
In PEACE
~~MM
You expressed it so nicely. So many friends have said similar things to me because they see some project or another I may have blogged about. But they don't realize that none of this is easy, things rarely go according to plan, and it's tough work actively engaging with your kids daily in a way to try and teach them, entertain them, stimulate their senses.
I am a recent fan of your blog, and love it. Thanks for all the wonderful inspiring ideas. I always look forward to new posts.
S
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