Testing patience and pressing forward.

I knew becoming a mother would be the best thing that has ever happened to me. I also knew that becoming a parent would be the hardest thing I have ever done. This season of my life is bringing me plenty of trials. One that I'm currently facing (and will forever face) is raising a very strong willed child. She is  wonderful, fun-loving, and smart little girl.  Then she has her moments that are full of defiant behaviors and that little attitude comes out that can bring my blood pressure through the roof. This morning was the first time she did something that actually brought me to tears. Thirty minutes into our morning gym visit I see one of the Nursery teachers walking in and immediately my heart sank. They no longer come get me because she is crying because she needs me. I knew this time was different. Trust me I saw it all over this woman's face. As I walk with her back into the playroom I see a momma sitting on the floor with her little blonde headed girl who is in tears and then they precede to tell me that my little girl has scratched this girl in the face and pulled a large chunk of her hair down. I of course gasp in somewhat disbelief that Violet did that and when I look down at this other mother on the floor holding her daughter and what I now see in her hair is a little chunk of blonde hair. I am mortified. I see Violet sitting in the corner by herself (which Im assuming is their version of time out). She looks confused and in my attempt not make any more of a scene , I refrain from the urge to beat my childs rear end in front of tons of people. I wait patiently(embarrassed) for them to bring her to me. I calmly take her over to the little girl and ask her to say I'm sorry which she does. Violet gives her a hug and then wants to resume playing. I am in shock, heartbroken, embarrassed and in the same breath Im wondering what the absolute best way to handle this situation. After I quietly remove my child from the gym doors I immediately bust into tears. I in the middle of my sobbing began to talk to Violet and remind her how we are supposed to share and be easy with other kids and that it hurts mommy when she does things like this. I put her in the car and of course parked across from me is the mom with her children. I walk over and tell her again how sorry I am and she reassures me that it is ok and that this just a stage that they go through and all kids do it at some point and its hard to stay on top of all the kids in a room of tons of kids with 2 workers. Took me hours to not want to bust into tears every time i spoke, but in the quiet that these moments that it left me with. I was able to ask God to continue to show me and teach me how to parent this little one. If you know my child you know how rough she can be. She thinks she is 10feet tall and fears almost nothing. I know its my job to teach her to be calm, and practice patience and give her boundaries without holding her back from doing what God is and will call her to do. What a challenge!It would be much easier to brush it off and pretend like that was a one time thing, but I want to use every opportunity to teach her and show her better choices and unfortunately discipline is a big part of that. I just hope she see's Jesus in it when she is older.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.