by Rod Hetherton

"What is anyone supposed to do with all this crying, whining, and screaming?"

I ask myself that often. If you are a parent of young children, you also know that some days it seems there is more pain than joy in a household of little ones. Coping with stressful moments caused by -- or multiplied by -- upset or sick kids can really take its toll. I need HELP, how about you?

Where Did My 30 Minutes Go?

When my wife and I were first married, I never realized I had such an abundance of time on my hands. I was always able to come home from work and get that good half-hour of wind down time. When my first child was born that half hour got moved, changed, and juggled; but I still found it a couple of times a week.

Now it's gone. I have lost it. Coming home to two kids under the precious age of two has somehow mysteriously eaten up every last bit of down time.

Not only has that time been lost, but also many nights when I walk in the door my wife is ready to jump bail. I know you know what I am talking about. Mama has been taking care of the crying and whining all day, so when you get home... BOOM... it's Daddy's turn.

Sometimes it's more of a divide-and-conquer thing: "Which one do you want?"

Other days it's a classic tag-team move: "Take these little monsters and save me!"

After a hard day, this can be taxing. Personally, as a teacher, I am just trying to forget the thirty chaotic kids I dealt with all day at school. So what is one supposed to do? You got me... I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Grin and Bear It

I have basically come to the conclusion that sometimes you just have to "grin and bear it". There is no sense kicking yourself in the head trying to find a miracle solution. This is a part of life. Remember the phrase "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger"?

Jesus talked to us about situations like this. In Matthew 6:25 Jesus says, "...do not worry about your life..." He pointed out that if God could create all the creatures of the earth and take care of them, then He would surely be taking care of us. More so, actually, because we are not just creatures -- we are His children.

I wonder if the "Big Guy" gets stressed out by all the crying and wailing we do? Probably not (but it's an interesting image). He is just there for us. He watches over us and protects us. Just as we do for our children.

So when you are feeling overwhelmed by it all; you need to step back and change your focus. Shift your vision to all the wonderful things; those moments for which too many of us sometimes take for granted.

The "In-Between" Times

All the times in-between the screaming and yelling are precious moments. In fact, when you really sit down to think about it, those times are probably more abundant then anything else. These precious moments can carry more joy than you might imagine. But what frame of mind are you in when moments like these occur?

Here are some things you can do:

• Focus on the little smiles.
• Capture the giggles and laughter.
• Think about what you mean to a child when he calls out for mommy or daddy.
• Remember the wagon rides on bright sunny afternoons.
• Cherish the surprise hug attacks.
• Be delighted at new little phrases, like "morning".

Record these moments in your life. Write about them, maybe in a journal or diary. Take pictures of them, and create a beautiful photo album. Video tape them, so you can have a live video library of your little ones growing up. Be creative -- spice it up. You could even dub-in music and create a living, rockin' testimony to the family you love so much.

Whatever you do, don't forget those beautiful, precious "in-between" times.

Life Applications:

Do you tend to "let" your children drive you crazy?

How do you cope with all the struggles that come with family life?

What are your precious moments filled with?

Copyright 2002 by Rod Hetherton
This article has been provided by ParishWebmaster.com