What Motherhood Does To You

When I was a teacher, before I became a mom, I was pretty strict. I had new teacher problems the same as everybody....trying to figure out an organizational system, learning to make lesson plans that actually worked as opposed to the kind you learned to make in college....but classroom management was my strong area.

I worked with a teacher who was SUCH a good teacher, but she was prone to bending the rules a lot for kids when she felt the situation warranted it. We need teachers like that, but it wasn't me. The rule is the rule. They knew the rule. They broke the rule. They deserve the consequences. She said we needed people like that too. We made a pretty good team.

I loved my students and they, for the most part, loved me. One of my little angels who sucked so much of my energy one year, walked by my new class in the hallway and told them, "Ya'll better watch out! Mrs. E don't play."

I loved that. I was known as a fun teacher--but one you didn't cross without thinking twice. And most of my former students stopped to hug me in the hall.

I always wondered if I would be that hard as a mom.

Well, I don't want to get into a lengthy post about my discipline and training skills/lack of skills, but this much I know:

What mom could look at their child's broken-hearted face, the child who is grieving over a ruined dollar store plaque and NOT want to fix it for them?

The ever-present dilemma---is this a life lesson, or do I intervene?

Well, I intervened.

I've gotten soft.