Inner Voice

The quote " The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice"- Peggy O'Mara really speaks to me. I'm sure it does most parents. I  grew up in an abusive household. Name calling, beatings, nearly constant dysfunction. With that being said, my mother was often affectionate and said she loved me daily. I guess she felt that those things would erase the negative. We all know that bad memories tend to stick with us more than positive. I'm told frequently how patient I am as a mother. In fact, my current husband has referred to me as a doormat when it come to my kids. I have a hard time seeing it that way. Maybe because inside, when they are being loud, fighting or just all over the place I feel out of control myself. I know I have the crazy in me. I can envision pummeling people that really get to me, not just my kids. I don't do it. Just having the thought brings on tremendous guilt. I took to saying how I felt rather than acting out when my oldest child was very young. Rather than smacking her I'd tell her that what ever it was she was doing at the time to drive me mad made me feel like hitting her. I thought that by saying rather than doing it was somehow better. Now, when I hear her say the same things to her younger siblings I cringe. It is just as bad! I try to not ever call them bad or say that they are stupid. I say they need to behave better or that wasn't a smart choice. They still seem to have only heard the need to be better or not smart. It really bothers me! I am human. I have flipped out more times than I'd care to admit and spanked them, looked wild eyed, or said something I immediately wanted to take back. I feel like a failure. I mean, how in the world am I to raise confident, productive members of society will all the negative. I am like my mother. I give kisses all the time. I hug. I praise. I spoil. I try to take each of them out with me individually for quality time. I try to be fair. Maybe it's the ages they are at, 12, 4, 2, and 4 months. I know they love me. They follow me around and tell me all the time. I know it's unrealistic of me to think that anyone looks back at their childhood and only has happy memories. I just pray that all the positive out weighs the negative ones. I want my girls to know their worth, how very special and amazing they are. I want my son to be a responsible, loving, hard working young man and believe in himself. I want them all to know that I always love them, no matter what they do or who they become. I will always do whatever I can to make their lives better, to help attain what they want out of life. No, I won't always agree with them. I may cry. I may advise otherwise, but my love will never stop or change. I really hope their inner voice is a voice of love. A cheerleader, encouraging them, signing their praises.