Monday, February 13, 2012

Parenting Struggles

Yesterday was a particularly difficult day at church. I was left frustrated and overwhelmed with Collin. I have never had to deal with a child refusing to go to primary on Sunday. The girls were always excited to go to primary and even as Sunbeams were SO well behaved. But Collin is different and has been extremely clingy in many different areas. Yesterday was different even then usual. He honestly threw a fit when I told him it was time for primary. He did not want to go to primary. He stood against the wall until someone else came and conned him into going to primary. After there, he caused more problems because he was being disruptive and still getting to do the activities, like fishing, when other kids who were being reverent and sitting quietly hoping for a turn didn't get one. Apparently, he had fun, but he was still causing problems. So once he goes to his class, he is disruptive and mean to the other kids. He refuses to do what the teachers ask and just causes problems. So they bring him to me. After missing all of Sunday School because he was waiting in the hall being ornery, I had to miss the majority of Relief Society too because he was being disruptive in class.
How can I stay mad at this face?...UGH!

He is such a different child than my girls were. It is so hard to not compare them. After breaking down in tears multiple times before leaving church and crying most of the way home from church, I felt like just giving up on Primary and just taking him home every week (not that I would actually ever do that). I got home and got dinner started and went and hid in my room for a while with my scriptures. I opened the scriptures up to 2 Nephi 33. I started reading and got as far as verse 3. "But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great aworth, and especially unto my people. For I bpray continually for them by day, and mine ceyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry." It is a simple scripture, but yesterday it just spoke to me. "For I pray continually for them by day and my eyes water my pillow by night." As a parent I think this is especially true. But as a child, I also know it is true. For those we are stewards over (namely our children) we pray for them, and cry for them often. But there are those who also do the same for us. Our parents pray for us, even my children pray for me, my Heavenly Father 'prays' for me (though it may not exactly be prayer, I don't know how that would work exactly). But there are tears shed for us by many and prayers sent up by many. As a parent, I have to remember that there are people fighting for me too. There are people above who are hoping for me, praying for me, crying for me, watching over me, and they know what I am going through. I am sure my mom spent many nights 'watering her pillow' for me and my siblings. Now she watches over me and knows what I am going through.

So what are your tips and tricks for getting kids happy to go to primary (or sunday school, or child care at church - Whatever you do at your church). I am not sure it is a struggle I can do each week. I am not sure I can handle another Sunday like I had yesterday.

3 comments:

Jon + Kat said...

I wish I had words of advice! Boys ARE hard! Teik cries during primary, sits next to me as I'm playing the piano through music time, freaks out even when we sing the song he wants, and is just overly emotional! It's like that almost every Sunday. I don't get it! He'll be good for part of it and a terror for the rest! Ahh! I would love to hear the advice of others as well! I feel your pain though!

curlysue said...

I know how you feel. Shianne always loved to go to class. As soon as she was walking she would disappear and I would always find her in nursery. Dylan on the other hand was always clingy from the day he was born. Nursery and primary were always a struggle and involved lots of crying (mostly on his part). Even now at 7 and a half he still occassionally will refuse to go. I don't know that anything really worked well for us other than lots of patience. I always spoke to him in a manner that made it obvious that it was a given that he would go to Primary, even though I knew that might not be the end result at least he knew from my voice and tone it was expected. A lot of times through his first and second year of Primary I had to go with him and sit with him for the first 10-20 minutes. I know that's not what you want to hear when you want to benefit from adult classes, but he will grow out of this phase even though it will seem to last forever while you're going through it.

Unknown said...

So so sorry Jaidi!! I am sure that is really difficult to struggle through. I don't know what it's like because I don't have kids. But I'm cheering you on. I hope your cute son gets better during this time so you can survive. Luv ya.