Fayette-Mom: Feeling Zen about this parenting thing ... for now

It is actually possible that small problems will occur with my kids without them turning into the major obstacles I assume they will be.

Posted 12:35 a.m. Oct 4, 2011 — Updated 12:35 a.m. Oct 4, 2011

Jennifer Joyner

More than a month into the new school year, and I’m finally able to see above the giant pile of paperwork that goes along with resumption of classes. I get why schools need all of this information, but man, is it a lot of work. I’m just glad I only have two kids!

Thanks to those who commented on my post last month about my son's new school year. Eli is doing much better in school. I can see clearly now that it was merely an adjustment period for him — going from preschool, where it’s mostly play and a little bit of work, to kindergarten, where the balance is exactly opposite. He still grumbles a bit about the lack of toys in his classroom, but he’s warming up to his teacher and his classmates, and he no longer gets notes about talking too much, thank goodness.

I’m hoping to use this as a teaching moment for myself: It is actually possible that small problems will occur with my kids without them turning into the major obstacles I assume they will be. I’m like Chicken Little, running around screaming “The sky is falling!” anytime we hit a roadblock. It seems to me, when I am thinking logically, that raising children is filled with roadblocks, and I’d better get used to staying calm and figuring out solutions without fear and pessimism. After all, do those irrational feelings help any situation? By now, I’ve learned many times over, they do not.

So for now, I’m feeling very Zen about the whole parenting thing, possibly a little bit optimistic. I’m just hoping to hang onto it when next we stumble.

Jennifer is a mom of two and WRAL-TV assignment editor in Fayetteville. Her food obsession memoir, “Designated Fat Girl,” came out last year. Read more about Jennifer and her book on her website. Find her here on Go Ask Mom on Tuesdays.

Suggest A Correction