But my most favorite book so far is Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic, suggested by the wife of one of our pastors. It's so great that I've read it twice in two weeks. You can tell she is a hilarious person by the picture she chose to put on the cover....
She is a mother to five kids under the age of five; 4 girls and 1 boy. Here is one of my favorite excerpts from her book in a chapter called, "Spirited Riders":
Titus is so simple - just right up the middle and easy. He either disobeys, or he doesn't. Sometimes, when he feels really complicated and deep, he fusses. I am sure he will grow into more difficult problems (competition, for one), but right now there are no subtexts with this kid. He wants milk - that is why he is fussing and saying, "I want milk!" Not so complex - even a beginner parent can figure out a technique to deal with this. But girls are different, and sometimes that difference can leave a person completely bewildered. When it comes to little girls and their emotions, "A" does not necessarily cause "B." But when "B" is what needs to be disciplined, it can feel frustrating to have no clues as to what member of the alphabet actually caused it. Are you with me here?
This all-too-real onset of early girl drama has been happening with Olivia recently. I won't get into the details of our potty-training drama, but Jankovic hit the nail on the head! Olivia can be completely happy one moment, and then start wailing for no apparent reason within the 15-second walk to the kitchen or bathroom (moms - tell me you get excited when you can go to the restroom alone in peace without a pair of toddler eyes staring at your every movement, sound and wrinkle on your body?!) Oh, and don't get me started about the pickiness with her food. I just wonder one day, if we have a son, will he act out like this? Will he pretty much eat anything that we put on his plate? Well, I guess we'll find out if we get to hop on that journey when we have our gender ultrasound in June!
Jankovic closed the chapter with this:
Give her lots of praise when you see her overcoming little emotional temptations.
Be right there with her as she learns to recognize what is happening. Little girls can be scared out of their minds when their emotions charge off with them. They need the security of parents pulling them back.
The goal is not to cripple the horse, but equip the rider. A well-controlled passionate personality is a powerful thing. That is what dangerous women are made of. But a passionate personality that is unbridled can cause a world of damage. If you see a lot of passion in your little girls, don't be discouraged. It is just wonderful raw material. Our house is pretty near full to overflowing with this kind of raw material! But don't treat it lightly either - runaway horses can be a real threat to your little girls.
This book is a must-read for parents of both boys and girls!
Thanks for sharing this Hong! I will definitely have to go out and get this book. I heard it mentioned at our last M@S meeting, but these few quotes have really grabbed my attention!
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