Following My Own Rules

Hmmmm.....so tonight I learned a valuable lesson- I am a very smart mom.  Who knew?

Probably has something to do with coming from a long line of smart moms and dads and having a fabulous husband to bounce ideas off of, but nevertheless, I learned tonight that I might have a tiny smidge of insight into parenting. I totally ROCK! :-)

Ok, I can't take all the credit...my husband helps too.

Today, I learned that I set some pretty awesome rules sometimes! You see, in our quest to be more structured in our evening routine and hopefully (in some round about logic) prevent the perpetual tardiness we experienced last school year, Charlie and I instituted a new rule in our home.

No computer, TV, or video games until 7 pm, and only after all school and extracurricular assignments are complete.  


I ain't gonna lie though...I was terrified when we called the family meeting to discuss the new rules.  I just knew the kids would whine and complain and we would have to fight EVERY night to keep the rule in place. And the beauty is WE HAVEN"T! For over a week now, they have accepted the rule and all that it entails as law and haven't bucked it once.

But in the interest of full disclosure and tying this allegory up nicely- I have to be honest. I haven't followed my own rule. Nope, I Facebook while I am waiting for dinner to cook and check and return email while the kids are doing homework. Or I did.  But God got a hold of me and I realized that I wasn't following my own rules.  I wasn't willing to lead from the front...OUCH!

So tonight I decided to discipline myself and unplug until 7 pm...And it turns out- I am a very smart mom.  I knew what I was doing when I set that rule in place! I sit here, at 9:30 pm with the dishes done, the living room cleaned, the downstairs vacuumed, lunches packed for tomorrow, dinner prepared, eaten around the dinner table and put away AND I ventured down the street to connect with a friend I haven't seen in a while....All before 7 PM.   I just gave myself back two hours of my day I had forgotten I had.  I totally rock!

What about you? What rules do you set for others, but don't follow yourself?