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If you are here looking for Throat Punch Thursday, I am on vacation and Throat Punch Thursday will resume at it’s regularly scheduled time next week. I just coudn’t bring myself to throat punch someone while siting by the pool in the warm Florida sun. Of course, if some zombie like bastard high on bath salts tries to gnaw my baby girls’ faces off, I am fully prepared to Chuck Norris throat punch the hell out of someone. No one chews on my babies while I’m trying to catch a tan. But seriously, you are in for a treat today!

Today my guest post writer is Tracy of Sellabit Mum. She is another one of my fantastically gifted writer friends, I have a lot of those. We met least year when she was kind enough to purchase my BlogHer ’11 ticket when I found out at the last minute I could not go and let me tell you, am I glad we did. Not only did she totally save my ass, I got to meet a really awesome lady. She is a sweet, funny, smart, witty mom of three beautiful girls. So if you get the chance to meet her in person, hug that girl for me! She is near and dear to my heart because we share a lot of the same life experiences, she just writes about them a hell of a lot more eloquently than I do. Today,once again she is saving my ass. I tell you Tracy is like a superhero. While I am on vacation with my family in Florida and she is up to her eyeballs in end of school year activities herself, she STILL made the time to write an amazing guest post. How much do I love Tracy? You can find her tweeting witt, charm and funny on the Twitter @Sellabitmum and on Facebook. Do yourself a favor and follow this awesome lady!

Thank you so much Tracy. I know you are as busy as you are awesome and that is A LOT!! Love you! XOXO

I’m trying to change my image. I need to do this for my daughters. I grew-up in a very strict household. Not mean. Just strict. One of my biggest memories of growing up is of my step-dad just sitting in his chair greeting my friends. I use the word ‘greeting’ loosely. He never got up or really said hi – he would just stare at them.

Awkward.

Our house wasn’t a house that we could play in or make a lot of noise in or..just be kids in. We were sent outside(which I totally get and do the same), but mainly I just found myself at other people’s homes where we could make a little noise and with dads that played silly games with us.

Even as I got older(and quieter) it was rare that I had a friend over because I truly just never felt comfortable doing it and my friends never asked to come over(I wonder why?).

Growing up in a quiet household gave me a very low tolerance for noise. This is difficult when you have small children. I had no idea the noise that kids could make once you gave them a chance.

So my kids are unusually quiet and sometimes I see their friends be incredibly shy around me like they seem to be purposefully careful how they act. And now I know it’s all my fault. I don’t yell at kids or say unkind words but I know that my body language makes them feel uncomfortable. I haven’t encouraged play-dates at our home. I don’t make friends feel welcome.

And I now want to cry.

I don’t want this same life for my kids and now I’m doing something about it. I want to give my kids a place they want to be and just be kids and a place that they want to bring their friends. That doesn’t mean I can’t have rules, expect common sensibilities, or ask for good manners.

In as much as I was raised to basically just be a little adult when I really just needed to be a kid – I cannot do this to my children. And it’s never too late to change.

It has to change because soon I will have teenagers and I want them here.

I’m starting a new mothering truth in my home – one of more kindness, acceptance, love and fun. And maybe a little more noise. I’ve been encouraging my kids to invite their friends over and even include a friend when we have an outing. I’m opening up our yard for the neighbor kids to just drop by and play at anytime. I’m making lemonade and offering cookies to them. And I’m sitting in the backyard and actually smiling at the happy laughter that I hear(though I admit I cannot accept those loud girlie screams).

But mainly I’m watching my girls enjoy their childhood and hoping I can give them one of comfort, love, joy, friendships on a little bit higher decibel than I was ever allowed to have. Because living out loud is such a better way to be a kid.

And it’s never too late to change this old mom. Hey maybe I’ll even join in a few games of tag this Summer.

Baby steps.

Play-date our house this week!

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