A Mother's Prayer

Why is is that even though I love my kids so much, and even like them, I have such a hard time being patient with them?  I've talked about this with my friends who are also mothers and most of us seem to have the same struggle.  I would lay down and die for my family yet I talk to my friends and coworkers with more respect than I do my children.  Granted, my friends and coworkers have had several more years of experience in being respectful, honest, responsible, level-headed....um, yeah, even though sometimes my coworkers display what I think is direspectful or rude behavior, I would never even consider yelling at them and making animal noises in my throat.  I suppose this is because I have "power" over my children that I don't have over other adults who are not a part of my family.  Also, how my children turn out is partly my responsibility and my reaction to fear is often to lash out in anger.  So when I'm afraid that my children are acting like monkeys and may act like monkeys for the rest of their lives, I get afraid that I'm not doing something right.

So, during my bedtime prayers every night, I ask God to please help me to be patient with my children.  To let them act their age because they only get to be little once.  To help me be brave and put my faith in God that he has a plan and will show my husband and me the way to help our children become the wonderful people they are destined to be.