Today was a fairly guilt free mothering day. I stayed calm in discipline, and I did lots of things with my kids: a play date, the library and the school yard. I say guilt-free because I feel majorly guilty if I don't get out and do things with my kids, escpecially in summer. I still remember reading something on the internet from a mom who said she tried to get out with her kids every day no matter what the weather. My reaction? Guilt. Hmm, I don't get out every day. In winter I don't even get out every week. I'm depriving my kids. I am not a very good mom. Never mind that I have no idea if this woman ever faces 40 below temperatures. Never mind that she may not have ever felt a sore back or a migraine. At that moment, her statement became a standard that I failed to live up to.

Silly, I know. I'm trying harder to just do what works for me and my family and forget about what others say (you know, outside of God and the Bible and all that). Today, during our play date my friend said she didn't let her kids watch "Caillou" anymore (or as Rob calls him, the little bald-headed mutant) because her daughter was picking up on some of the bad attitude bits and taking them on as her own. My instantaneous reaction? I let my kids watch 'Caillou'. Maybe I shouldn't. Luckily I've learned enough to reevaluate that as soon as it popped into my head. My kids don't have the same reactions. If they did, I would do the same thing. Slowly but surely I'm learning to let reason, not guilt, be my guide. (And the Holy Spirit of course - when I actually understand him - if I understand him. But that's another post.)