Enough is Enough

I never took much thought as to what kind of mom I was going to be before I had kids. Surprisingly, it just wasn't something I worried about. I guess you could say as I've been figuring things out along the way, there has begun to arise in my mind a clearer image of the kind of mom I'm trying to become. No worries, this mom is by no means perfect, but she does have more patience, kindness and is made of sterner stuff. I'm not inviting comparisons here to other moms, though I think it's good to have moms around you that you admire and can pick up some good mothering skills from, but it's more like, hey, I notice I get angry about every 30 sec. I don't want to do that anymore!
I was reading a general conference talk yesterday by Per G. Malm and a particular story he told really hit me. He said his grandmother sent one of her young children to get some eggs but on the way home broke them all. It didn't seem like the child did this intentionally, but a friend of the family who was there at the time said the child should be punished. However, the mother was like, nah, that won't get my eggs back, let's just make some pancakes and be happy. I thought about how I would have reacted because, let's face it, whether it's broken eggs, spilled juice, pee accidents, that scene described by the general authority could be reenacted a thousand different ways in a thousand different scenarios in my house every day. I admit, I would have gotten mad about the eggs and would have at least yelled at the child. I'm not proud to admit that, but I usually go with my gut reaction and my gut reaction does not usually tell me to remain calm and brush it off. But this is why all those kinds of little moments add up, Per Malm says "In our day-to-day actions, it is often the small and simple things that will have a long-lasting impact. What we say, how we act, and how we choose to react will influence not only ourselves but also those around us. We can build up, or we can tear down." Isn't that perfectly true with our day to day lives with our children? He also goes on, and this part really gets me, to say "When we learn to handle the small and simple daily things in a wise and inspired way, the result is a positive influence that will solidify harmony in our souls and build up and strengthen those around us. This is so because everything which invites us to do good “is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore [we] may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Moroni 7:16)."
Ah, so I think the key to the Mom I Want To Become is doing better with how I react to the small things, those every day little situations that can drive us crazy if we let them. And I will be the first to admit, I usually let them! But who couldn't use some more harmony in the home? It reminds me of the saying "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me". Kind of cheesy, but to the point. Moms usually set the mood of the home so I'm determined to work on mine. Also, it got me thinking, how do we go about handling the simple daily things in a wise and inspired way? I will talk about my thoughts on this more tomorrow. In the meantime, if you do have any thoughts on this, please share!