Parenting is Like a Box of Crayons

After a brief stint of screaming and uncontrollable emotions, I have one child who is grounded from TV and computer and claims that we don't love her as much and that she has nothing else that she could possibly do and another child who is basking in a world of being "the good one".
I can't take much more of this so I must come up with something soon...enter coloring book and crayons...so I sit down and we start to color, this brings the youngest off the computer as she wants to join the coloring and relaxes the emotions of my oldest...whew!

As we are coloring, I watch them choose their pictures and then choose the colors for each item carefully. I decide that parenting is like a box of 64 crayons (with the built-in sharpener). Parenting consists of creativity, variety, choice, diligence, vibrancy, trying to stay in the lines but having it be ok when you go outside. Parenting also comes with some dull moments when sharpening becomes necessary (perhaps when you aren't quite sure what to do or when a decision was questionable or didn't quite have the outcome you had hoped for). Parenting has a learning curve, is there always a right answer? Absolutely not and what works for you may not work for someone else so it often ends up being trial and error and mental notetaking saves face when the next difficulty arises.

We love being parents and love the challenges that keep us one our toes and keep us guessing. We try our best to do what's right and to learn from our mistakes. And, just like the completed, colored picture, we love and take pride in the masterpieces that are our kids each and every day!