Spirited, intense, even difficult, call it what you wish, it all boils down to the same personality type. The one that can make you want to scream with frustration and giggle with delight, pound your head against the wall with exhaustion then melt into a warm and welcome embrace, or explode with sadness and burst with pride. Parenting a spirited child comes with a roller coaster of emotions, intensified by the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. My spirited boy keeps me on my toes, and leaves me questioning my abilities as a parent daily, if not hourly. However, he has also brought a joy and a brightness to my life that I never knew possible. Rather than focusing on the sleepless nights and the rants proclaiming that I am full of terrible ideas…I am choosing to focus on the positive, the joy of parenting a spirited child.
3 Ways Parenting a Spirited Child Can Bring You Joy:
He shows absolute kindness and empathy toward other children.
While they will most definitely express disapproval or disappointment, spirited kids can FEEL. Which also means that they care when a peer is hurt, sad or lonely. As the oldest of three children, M has always been able to express his love for his brother and sister. Language and vocabulary have never been his weak points, and his sweetness and compassion toward them is a testament to that. Often I find him quietly stroking his baby brother’s hair, kissing him on the forehead and whispering ‘I love you.’ He acknowledges his feelings, he doesn’t suppress or ignore them.
RELATED: 20 Hopes for My Spirited Child
His obedience stems from trust.
He thinks for himself, which can often result in resistant or ‘disobedient’ behavior, and can consequently become exhausting. Remember the old adage, “because I’m your mom and I said so”? That is lost on spirited kids. M knows what he wants with conviction, ALL THE TIME. To some, this qualifies as disobedient; but I don’t want him to be obedient, I want him to do the right thing, to make the RIGHT choice regardless of who told him what. He doesn’t accept ‘no’, isn’t bogged down by ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’; rather, he looks at the world with a curious eye and a persistent furrowed brow, always seeking to engage, learn and grow. When he listens to me, I am assured that it’s because he trusts me and feels confident that it is the right choice in his heart, he believes that I would not lead him down the wrong path.
[Tweet “I don’t want my kids to be obedient, I want them to do the right thing”]
He reminds me to look closer, dive in deeper.
Life gets busy, unmanageable and stressful. We tell ourselves all the time how important it is to ‘stop and smell the roses’. Spirited kids don’t have a choice. They hear the distant howl of a train, notice a rogue thread on their sleeve, and see the nuance of color in an otherwise purple flower. Their minds never stop, constantly gathering data and searching for answers. It is in the stillness of the night, while my own spirited boy rests his head on my arm, that I get a glimpse into the depths of his thoughts. I adore those quiet moments, I relish in his quest for knowledge, his passion and his tenacity.
[Tweet “Parenting a spirited child can be challenging, but it can also come with great rewards.”]
The Joy of Parenting a Spirited Child
While there are days that I feel I have failed him, ready to throw in the parenting towel and accept defeat, I am reminded that this is a roller coaster that I am on. Though the lows can feel really low, the highs can also be blissfully high. There is always a calm after the storm, and in those moments of calm, with my boy’s arms wrapped around me, I feel comfort and joy.
I love being the parent of a spirited child.
Photo Credit: Deposit Photos
Great artical, you are an amazing mother! Keep riding that roller coaster!
Thanks lady! And thanks for reading 🙂
Our children can teach us so much more then we can teach them. I know that I learn a lot being a mom. I have some pretty great kids that are super smart. Thanks for linking this up to Family Joy Blog Link Up Party.
I love how each child is unique with their own personality. Each has their own set of challenges sure, but the rewards are always so much greater.This is a great post, thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is a great way of looking at things, and reminds me of my own spirited little boy! I’m going to try to remember these things the next time he refuses to listen to me 🙂 Thanks for sharing at the Manic Mondays blog hop!
It’s so true! I would rather my kids understand and do the right thing on their own instead of just because I tell her too.
You should come link up at our Bloggers Spotlight party on Thursday night, we pin everything to our group board and have two separate link-ups, one for posts and one devoted to pins so you get even more exposure!
http://www.raisingfairiesandknights.com/category/bloggers-spotlight/
Aw i missed it for tonight! Would love to join next week- thanks for letting me know about it!
This is such a beautiful piece Katie. I love each of these reasons and I love how you’ve taken a personality trait that can be challenging and made it something beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing and linking up with us! Pinning!
These are really great points. I needed this reminder today. My sweet girl certainly keeps me on my toes and sometimes, I just don’t know how to respond to her. But, she is amazing, and she has taught me so many things-including things about myself… Thank you for linking up with us! #TakeTime