Honor your Father and Mother

I have been enjoying having a different picture each day, and It took me a while to pick what fit today.  I decided to focus on the amazing relationship of me and my brother, because of my parents, and now that we are parents, it is so important for me to pass that on.  The big picture is the most recent, right before I moved to LA, my brother and I took a cruise to Alaska, and we took a tour to the top of a glacier by helicopter.  The top right I was 4 1/2 and my brother was 3, this was in Russia, Soviet Union times, you just did not smile :)  The bottom right is in Miami, by his t-shirt, we were already in high school, probably 9th grade for him and 10th grade for me, love the style!

To this day we are very close, we have completely different lives in different states, but I am excited that our children are friends, we try to keep in touch as much as we can by skype and other wonderful technology.

I keep on saying that my older two kids have very strong personalities, and it is quite a challenge, and now that they both can communicate, it is a constant debate about listening, give and take, and being patient through it all.  It is really important to me for them to be friends, love each other, and be in each others lives when it counts.  Thank God they are really happy with their little brother and are really sweet with him and always want to help.  I try my best to give as much attention to each one, but when they all want mama at the same time, I just have to breathe and do my best.

Overall today was a wonderful day, but it ended with them wanting to keep playing and me saying that it was time to come home.  Of course at the same time the baby pooped and was crying, and my husband was not home at that time.  I always say, somethings we just don't know until we have to know, and there is no degree to be a mother or father.  My yoga teacher says that we have kids to make happy and independent adults, and that they really do not owe us anything.  I agree somewhat, but one of the Ten Commandments is to Honor your Father and Mother, and I think it is very important to give them the respect they deserve.  I also believe that it goes both ways, our kids are not soldiers, we have to earn their respect as well by treating them as independent individuals who have choices.  Its up to us to be smart and narrow down their choices, but where they still feel they are making the decision.

I am wiped out from today, but always feel grateful for the challenges to learn and grow, even if in the moment I want to scream and run out of the house.  I keep on telling myself and I truly believe it, a life without challenge and a life without passion - what is the point?  BRING IT!

Wishing everyone with really humongous challenges, the strength to face and conquer,
Coach Yulia