Can You Live With Your Choices? Seriously?

“Mom, I don’t want to do gymnastics anymore,” I heard my seven year-old say a few months ago. She goes on to tell me that she doesn’t like the long practice hours that are required to be on the competitive gymnastics team. While I told her that she had to finish out the season due to the commitment she made to the team, I agreed to allow her to try something else she wanted to do, which she couldn’t do previously because of her time commitment to gymnastics. I gave her a word of caution: make sure that you want to make this choice, because it would be difficult to go back and ask to be on the gymanstics team again.

Many times in life we have to make tough choices. For those of us who are busy moms, we have to choose how to spend out time. We cram our careers, household duties, grocery shopping, errand running, and child rearing into a daily schedule. Our words and actions have to be chosen carefully, because our children are watching us. Have you ever let your guard down and let a few choice words slip? Do you apologize and regret it later? Can you live with your choices?

I don't want to live my life making choies that I later regret. I don't think any of us do. How do I go about making choices with which I can accept? One thing that I am reminded from my daughter is to know the facts before I make a decision. She has said to me, after making a decision, "If I only knew (what would happen)." We don't have a crystal ball, but what we do have is experience. Experience to help our children make good choices and live their lives with no regrets. Now, that 's not to say that we can't let them make choices and reap the consequences, negative as they may be. But, we can offer them guidance and facts about what will happen if they choose a certain situation.

Now that my daughter's gymmastics season is over, despite qualifing for the Women's Junior Olympics State Level 4 Championships, she wants to try swimming and piano lessons. Both are activities that compete for the same time slot as gymnastics. She wants to broader her horizons and see that else the world has to offer. She wants to live life with no regrets and try new things.

Is there something new you would like to try? Can you live with your choices and have no regrets? If you can, great!! If not, why not change directions and stop what you are doing and try something new? It can not only be rejuvenating, but also allow you to be a good role model for your children to live life to the fullest.