Parenting ABC's: The Crazy Side of Parenting

Parenting IS one of the greatest adventures in life. It holds such joy, happiness, surprise, and laughter. Nevertheless, like any other life adventure, it does have its fair share of chaos, discomfort, and turmoil. So often, it seems like society expects us parents to claim that parenting is all sunshine and smiles. However, I’m going to stand up and shout it out for all to hear: “I’m a mother. Parenting can be hard. And it isn‘t for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach!”

To all the parents who (just like me) love their children more than anything but are tired of society trying to shame us into silence, this is for you:

A is for aches from head to toe.
B is for burps that turn to whoa!
C is for candy stuck to walls.
D is for diaper duty calls.
E is for ears aching at night.
F is for frightening food fights.
G is for gates aren’t baby proof.
H is for he’s gone in a poof!
I is for I’m never alone.
J is for juice-coated cell phones.
K is for kids can multiply.
L is for late, late lullabies.
M is for months that feel like years.
N is for nightmares and big fears.
O is for oh, no, get the wipes!
P is for what’s clogging the pipes?
Q is for quick, get a towel!
R is for rotten and foul.
S is for sleep has come and gone.
T is for teething--dusk to dawn.
U is for unbreakable smashed.
V is for veggies smeared and mashed.
W is for windows licked.
X is for xylophone toys kicked.
Y is for yelling ‘til your hoarse.
Z is for zonked parents, of course!

I originally published this post on Bubblews: http://www.bubblews.com/news/528053-parenting-abc039s-the-crazy-side-of-parenting

© Amanda R. Dollak 2013

A Poem to My Daughter

My dear sweet, little princess,

You’re growing before my eyes!

I know you are in distress,

And you do not realize

That everything I do--

Both of what seems good AND bad--

I do because I love you

With a love I never had.

You and your brother are two

Biggest blessings in my life.

Motherhood has pushed me through

The most grueling pain and strife.

I am more as a mommy,

With your tiny hand in mine,

Than I ever thought I’d be

Even ‘til the end of time!

You bring out the best in me;

You make me want to be more.

Finally, I can now see

My life IS worth fighting for.

You are only six years old,

So you cannot understand

Why I correct you and scold...

Why I guide you hand in hand.

Oh, it would be so easy

To let you e’er have your way...

My efforts may seem cheesy

And perhaps cause you dismay,

But I only want the best

For you--today and always--

So I will not ever rest

Until only the best stays,

And you become a lady--

Kind, tender, caring, and strong--

Who offers her gifts daily

And who loves her whole life long.

Mommy Doesn't Work...8 Hours Every Night

It’s funny how kids can so easily misunderstand things. Sometimes, it is pretty funny the way little minds try to understand the world around them. Other times, it’s hard not to feel a little sad about their misconceptions. Recently, my son and I got into a tiny argument about his homework. He didn’t want to practice reading. In fact, he was determined to not do school ever again! I tried to explain to him why reading was so important—an explanation that included that reading was necessary for getting a job.

As soon as those words were out of my mouth, my son glared at me and said, “I don’t plan on ever getting a job. You don’t work, so why should I?!”

I know kids will be kids, and temper tantrums are a part of the parenting journey. Still, his words really stung. I may not work outside my home but raising and cyber-schooling two children is hard work. Besides, I spend an average of 6-8 hours each day working diligently at my writing, long after my family is fast asleep. It may not make me much money now, but I’m working towards something bigger and better that will help make my family more financially stable. I know he is too young to understand that I work my buns off for him and his sister. Yet, it still hurts that it goes unrecognized sometimes.

I hope as he grows older that he will see that everything I do is for the betterment of our family. I frequently skimp on sleep, occasionally pass up on fun activities, and forever plan and refocus myself, so I can offer more for my children. No, I don’t write solely for my children’s benefit. However, a lot of the driving force behind my writing is related to my son and daughter. They give me the added push I need to make myself sit down and work, even when I don’t feel like writing. They also are one of my biggest inspirations for my ideas and creativity. They bring out the best in me and make me always strive to be better than I am now. I honestly believe I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without my children, and I thank God every day that I have them in my life!

A to Z April Blogging Challenge Reflections

As a mother, I always want to encourage my children to dream big and never give up on their deepest desires. Yet, I find myself so frequently using lame excuses why I can’t write. I’m too busy. I’m too tired. I have a million other things to do. I’m not feeling up to it right now. I need to watch just one more TV show. My day was just too hectic. The words just aren’t flowing right. The excuses go on and on and on forever if I let them.

The truth is, though, I am meant to write. Even when I convince myself I’m not in the mood to write, the desire is always there. I frequently wake up in the middle of the night because my dreams give me awesome ideas to write about. Whole strings of poetry come flooding into my mind at the strangest times. Some ideas won’t leave my head until I finally write them down. And I don’t feel like myself unless I write on a regular basis.

I AM a writer. There is no point in trying to put my writing on the back burner. It is always going to force its way back into my mind. Besides, the more I write the happier I become. Why have I fought this integral part of my being for so many years? It’s time to embrace my writing abilities and to see where they will take me! 

The A to Z April Blogging Challenge, for the last two years, has helped me see just how important writing is in my life. Although I’ve spent plenty of late nights scrambling to keep up with this challenge (especially this year since I entered three blogs), I got a sweet taste of what I am capable of and how much I can accomplish under pressure.

Not long after the 2013 A to Z Challenge began, I started to doubt my sanity. I had barely finished one blog last year. How was I going to blog through the alphabet with three blogs? I had to be a crazy to think I could write 78 posts in a month in addition to all of my other obligations!

I’m never one to give up easily, so I pushed through the challenge with all three blogs—just barely—but I made it! I was exhausted and pretty frazzled, but I felt so proud of myself and even a little surprised that I had it in me. The 2013 A to Z Challenge has revealed that there is a lot more potential inside of me than I’d ever given myself credit. And I am determined now to reach far with my writing—just like I encourage my two children.

I may have taken a small break this week to recover from the challenge madness, but I am determined more than ever to write daily. No more lame excuses. No more convincing myself that I can always write later. No more thinking that I don’t have the ability in me. It’s time to dream bigger and work even harder to be the writer I’ve always secretly wanted to be!

Leprechauns Among Us

Our leprechaun trap

This week, for a class project, my 7-year-old son was asked to build a leprechaun trap. His teacher shared a website with many trap ideas. My son chose one of the designs and decided to modify it to make it his own.

Since then, my children have been debating whether or not leprechauns exist and have been searching for evidence of their existence all over our home. Watching their curiosity and listening to their cute leprechaun discussions inspired me to write the following poem:

Look under the table,
And check under your chair--
A creature of fable
Could be lurking somewhere!

The windows are shut tight,
And all the doors are fast,
But during this March night,
Magic may come at last.

Hide all glittery things,
Especially the gold,
Before the gleaming brings
Leprechauns to behold

And steal it all away
To hide at rainbow’s end
For their joy night or day,
Brightened by colors’ bend

But for you brave of heart
And curious of mind--
Using science and art;
A trap nicely designed--

Could lure a leprechaun
And capture him tonight…
And St. Patrick’s Day dawn
Could promise treasure bright,

Yes, leprechauns, once caught,
Will give up their whole hoard
In their overflowing pot
If their freedom’s restored!



Will you and your family be brave enough and try to catch a leprechaun this year?  Happy St. Patrick's Day from my family to yours!

Teacher Tall Tales

My son showing off his first backpack

Now that my daughter has turned 5, both of my children will be in school come fall.  It is going to be the start of a great adventure for my daughter.  Lately, the realization that my princess is growing up fast has me thinking back to my own grade school days.

I remember that at first I HATED it, but then later I enjoyed it immensely.  My little brother, though, never seemed to really like school and went through quite a few periods when he insisted his teachers hated him.  He used to come up with all kinds of outlandish tales about his teachers, trying to justify to our parents why he should be allowed to stay home.  In fact, his tall tales inspired me to write this poem about 10 years ago:


Just ask my little brother
‘Bout his new teacher at school;
He’ll say she’s like no other
‘Cause she makes lava seem cool!

He claims she is a teacher
From deep outer space somewhere;
A mean and ugly creature
With large horns beneath her hair.

He imagines that she ate
All her students from before
For not staying at school late
And doing homework galore!

He says that she breathes fire
And vents smoke when she is mad.
He cries, “We’ll all expire
If we fail to keep her glad!”

Now can you understand why
My brother can’t go to school?
For to go would mean to die,
And that would make him a fool!


Although it is years later, I still find myself chuckling at my little brother’s crazy stories.  And I look at my own children now and often wonder if they might eventually do the same.  School is an exciting journey, but it is also so full of changes and new things that it can be a little scary, too.  I hope both of my children will have an easier time than I did during the first few years of school.  I will be reminding them every step of the way that they aren’t alone . . . that I’m there supporting them and rooting for them 100%!

The Importance of Childhood Dreams

A Double Rainbow

Recently, my 6-year-old son had a school assignment that asked him to imagine what he might want to be when he grows up.  At first, he was extremely uncooperative, insisting that he didn’t know.  After I pressed him further, he got more shielded and claimed that he didn’t need to know because he was never going to grow up!

At that point, I decided it would be best for us to take a break.  Watching him and his sister play “restaurant” from across the room, I tried to take myself back to the day when it was me and my younger brother having little squabbles over which plate goes where and what pretend meals to cook.  Was I once that hesitant to share my dreams with my own mother?  Did I even have any dreams of the future at all?  Or was I too busy being a kid and enjoying the simple things in life to realize the possibilities?