I'm Flexible...

 Ever since I was young, I remember my mom saying, "I'm flexible..." She would say it to us, she would say it to my dad, she would say it talking on the phone. I've said it a few times, but I've realized lately that I am NOT flexible when it comes to my kids. I love to have a plan and goals for my day and for my week and, welp, for my life... I get frustrated when those goals get interrupted by messes and diaper changes and discipline and then I get frustrated that I'm frustrated again... 

 I need to PRACTICE being flexible with my kids. I need to assess where they are at each day and what's going to be best for the day. Are they in a fun, wanting to learn mood? Let's do some school! Are they in a naughty mood? Let's go to the park! I need to be able to throw the plans I had for the day out the window. The things I was going to accomplish that day aren't as important as spending time with my babies while having a good attitude with them! 

 Here's a fun activity: I unraveled our outdoor extension cord all over the house and we walked on top of it, finding where it would lead (could be done with stations too or more of an obstacle course). At the end was a special candy treat!

 Then we walked backwards along the same course!

 What about on days when the house is a disaster and I have no clean dishes and no clean laundry? That stuff needs to be done and the kids (haha) haven't been feeling up to it! Here's my "flexible-plan"---do a little at a time, just do the necessities, keep the kids involved so they don't sneak off and find trouble, and take fun breaks! Like a little shoe modeling...

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:25-34