A New Start

I read an article today that mentioned it was Monday and an opportunity for a new start.  That is something we hear so often, especially this time of year with it being January and all.  It got me thinking, why do we insist on starting something new or changing our view at the beginning of a year, month or week?  Even a day?  We all have the ability to change what we're doing or how we view something at every moment during the day. 

I know I sometimes fall into this trap with certain things, but I'm trying to get better about it with other things.  My pitfalls of starting at the beginning of a week center around my working out especially.  I struggle to start something like that in the middle of the week.

I'm making an effort though to make changes around other things when I recognize a need.  So many things I see that need a new start have to do with the way I think about things or see things or my attitude.  I'm really trying to pray and focus on changing it when I see a need or sometimes when someone else points out a need, often my husband!  It's something I want me kids to see in me as they grow up.  None of us are perfect, and I want them to see changes in my attitude or behavior so that they know they have the power to do the same thing.

I recently read an article online or several parenting quotes for various things, and a few of them stuck with me.  So much that I've printed them out and hope to put them on index cards around my house as reminders.  A couple of my favorites are listed below:

• The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.  - Peggy O'Mara
• A child seldom needs a good talking to as a good listening to. - Robert Brault
• Children have never been very good a listening to their elders, but they have enver failed to imitate them.  - James Baldwin

 These have really been impacting my thoughts on parenting over the weekend and today, and hopefully for the better for my children.

And one last quote that summarzies so much about what I believe and how our family lives.

•  Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.  - Robert A Heinlein