Give my children my constant respect

My youngest, the curly haired one in the photo, she looks angelic but she really is an absolute sod. Somerimes I feel like i’m constantly battling with her. Today she was having such a temper and it was so bad I didn’t know what to do. It was late and she just wSn’t getting ready for school, jyst kicking me, punchong etc. I didn’t know what else to do but smack her hand. All that’s happened now, is she’s forgot about it and i’m feeling really bad, like the worse mum in thhe world. I love them sooooo much, so I need to deal withh the behaviour some other way. I’ve tried most other thongs though…..naughty step, toys took away, no sweets/treats etc etc. maybe I need to swat up on a few ‘supernannies’.

I am constantly battling with myself over the damn housework, and is it really worth it??? My mum has cleaning ocd. It stops her doing lots of other more worthwhile things because she cannot drag herself away from polishing, washing etc, etc. I don’t eant to be like this, but it’s hard. I’ve given myself the task of leaving the house in the morning without doing the housework. That way I will spend more time with my daughters before school and less time getting stressed….hopefully. I done it today. Got the girls ready, got myself ready, took them to school and went straight to the gym. I’m back now and wondwring when i’m gonna allow myself to clean cos all I can smell is cat food!!

I feel like I haven’t been working on this goal as much as I could have been. I have ben raising my voice far too much with those girls and my stress levels feel like they’re going through the roof. I need to spend more time just being with them, listening to them, laughing with them. Trouble is I just pass them off as misbehaving when I should be looki.g into the reason for it. I.ll make this my prominant goal for the forseeable future. Keep my voice calm, co
e on, can’t be that difficult…...can it????