Tending to Their Needs

This little girl always leaves me feeling so guilty when bed time rolls around. Stories are read and she gets tucked in and smothered in hugs and kisses. Last night after stories and kisses I brought Hyrum up and put him in his crib and then went to my little girls bed side. I gave her a nice long kiss on the cheek and a tiny squeeze and whispered in her ear, "I love you soo much!". Being the good little girl that she is, she pretended to be asleep. I went downstairs feeling super guilty about putting her to bed, or rushing through stories and the "routine". Then it went further, and I felt guilty for little things that went wrong that day, or how I expect too much of her, or the time outs that she had, or how I was too busy doing dishes to go and see her "snow angel" that she made in the office. Guilt is a terrible thing...

Come the end of the day I always find myself thinking, "Ya know, you really do have good kids". I just wish I would think that more during the day, or in the heat of a bad mommy moment.

I have been thinking about the word tending a lot lately. It's just such a soft, and gentle word. It has made me think a lot about what it means to tend to my children and be there each and every time they need me. 

In my studying and pondering I came across an article from the New Era in 1972 -- Kind of humorous, but there were a few lines in there that I love.

"Keep the children busy, happy, and safe, and you shouldn’t have any discipline problems."

This line was like a light bulb for me and made me realize my role in keeping Camilla busy will help me avoid problems. I love it!

"Always be kind and loving to the children; use the outer limits of your patience, and think of them first."

I almost laughed out loud when I read this. The words "outer limits" will definitely be flashing in the back of my mind as I go about my days from now on. I do also find that I have less patience when I'm thinking about me, or what I want to do/get done in the day.

"The children always come first—you should tend them and not the time. Be happy! Children notice and will be happy too. Be excited and enthusiastic—it’s contagious. Remember there is never a time when you are in the house with children that you are not communicating with them in some way; everything you do is teaching the children."

I super cherish the line "tend them and not the time" (this will be the quote of the week on my fridge I think). I find myself watching the clock a lot during the day, counting down the hours until Daddy will be home. On the days that I tend my children rather than the time, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to spend with them playing and laughing. 

Then another quote came to me from a book I read a few months back. It's kind of humorous and I'm not entirely sure why it has stuck with me. (I really should have been born "back in the day" I love stuff like this).

"I would like to see the time when our sisters will take more pains to beautify their children. When your children arise in the morning, instead of sending them out of doors to wash in cold, hard water, with a little soft soap, and wiping them as though you would tear the skin off them, creating roughness and darkness of skin, take a piece of soft flannel and wipe the faces of your children smooth and nice, dry them with a soft cloth; and instead of given them pork for their breakfast, give them good wholesome bread and sweet milk..."

~Brigham Young

I always think of this when I take a warm cloth to wipe my babe's dirty faces. I have shared many a sweet moment with my children over a warm cloth and a dirty face.  Some so tender that tears of joy fill my eyes. How precious these little children are! I am so grateful for the atonement and opportunity I have to repent each day as I strive to become a better Mommy to my children. I really like what is said in this video about how motherhood  "is something that you have to be partners with the Lord about". Motherhood is such a wonderful thing. What a truly special role we have to play.