Some days are better than others...

I didn't read to my kids today.

At all.

And I'm someone who reads to them consistently twice a day on work days and three times a day on days I'm home.

It's the favorite part of my day. The favorite part of their day.

I read nothing to them today. Nothing.

This morning I had gotten up early and had plans to have a nice breakfast ready for our morning readings. I had a quiche and banana muffins all set to go in the oven.  My kids have had a rough week cooperation-wise and thought I'd try to work on having today being better with a fantastic morning start.

The oven would not click on. The 'new to us' oven that has just been installed a few months.

I put the quiche in the wood cookstove and tried to troubleshoot the oven since there's not enough room in the wood cookstove for all.  I pulled up the manual and read much of it, to no avail.  45 minutes later, I had a batch of unbaked muffins and three hungry kids vying for my attention.

I called my neighbor and brought the batter to her to bake. I went to Plan B for breakfast and we ran out of time for reading.

I set out to have a fantastic morning and left for work feeling more scattered, frustrated and defeated than before.

Must be my kids felt the same, as cooperation today was less than stellar.

I did what I have not done before. I took books away. No evening readings. No independent reading. Bedtime with no books.

Both kids went to bed sobbing.

And truth be told, I feel like doing the same.

This parent gig is hard.  Sometimes the two parents working opposite shifts gig feels impossible. Sometimes it feels like giving it my best shot is hardly good enough.

I need to remember that God's promises are new every morning. The crocuses are blooming, a new season is here. Tomorrow is a new day.  Determined to not be wallowing in my negative thoughts. Perseverance. The word of the day. There will be more books tomorrow.  Keep on keeping on, tomorrow will be better. Onward.