Life lessons with a cement truck

I feel like I have been run over by a cement truck. That could quite possible feel better than how I am feeling today. I hate being sick, and further, hate being sick in the summer. Summer colds are the worst. But, I do have to say that in the midst of this little summer cold, I have been taught some valuable lessons.

I have a horrible habit of when I want to talk to my children, I yell their names as loudly as is humanly possible. Its laziness on my part really. I don't want to go searching the house over for them... So I yell. And, they yell back. There is a whole lot of yelling going on in this here house.
Yelling sort of chases out the peaceful feelings that I have been craving for my home.

Well, the past couple of days, I have had no voice. I can talk, but its rather soft. When I need my kids, I have to actually get up and go find them to talk to them. Can you imagine my surprise when, even though I am sick, there was a nice peaceful feeling in my home?

Yesterday, everyone woke up ornery. We had to hurry out the door, sans breakfast, to piano lessons. We have an extremely strict teacher (no Sherrie. you are not strict. you are nice... and the kids respond better to that!), and the kids kind of dread going to piano lessons. Thing 1 went around grunting and moaning at everyone. Thing 2 was short, and explosive... which is SO not like him. Thing 3 was crying over the slightest things... like not being able to find the exact sock she was looking for. Moxie, was just sitting watching everyone unravel, and it was only 9:00 in the morning. Sometimes I wonder if Moxie finds herself thinking "Man. this place is a madhouse. I should have stayed up there!"

The thing that was amazing is that in the midst of the first of many meltdowns yesterday. I had no voice to yell. I had to walk over to my children, look them in the eye and speak with them. Can I tell you how much difference that has made? I could not holler out: "Get your shoes on! We're going to be late." I had to look at them, talk with them. They were grumpy, yes. But they cooperated. By the end of the day. Everyone was happy. Everyone was playing together. We even all took naps (shh. don't tell).

Yelling. I hate yelling. Yet, I do it all the time. It really does not help the situations, it only escalates them. When the kids were being out of control yesterday, rather than me being louder than them, I was quiet. And they had to stop so they could hear me. I used to scoff at my psychologist friend who would tell me that when the kids are being naughty, you should be softer. Yeah. Riiighhhtt! I didn't believe him until yesterday.

I am trying my hardest not to yell. Even if it's just to have them come to dinner. Eye to eye communication is best. I want to be communicated with like that. So do my children. I don't know if it will always work, but I feel like Heavenly Father was trying to teach me something. Being run over by this proverbial cement truck was a tender mercy teaching me how I can be a better Mom.