To beat their butts or not…..

Posted on by JustAskMaia

I’m not here for a debate so I will just jump right into it.

As a mother to 9, soon to be 10, children, I assure you that this is the most asked questioned we get. It is usually dressed up nicely by those who try to be politically correct or just plain nosey. “How do you get them to behave?’ or “What do you use?”

The answer in my head is, none of your dang business, but I play nice and smile and say “Love.”

Believe it or not children do respond well to it. Now, please do not be misinformed, they CAN get it but it doesn’t resort to that.

I have my days when I want to pull my hair out or simply state to my husband, ..”and we have NINE”. I get headaches and I fuss. Most times I put myself in time out which is usually the attempt to hide in my closet from the littles who have not yet learned my moods and patience level.

Every time, and I do mean every time, we are out in public we are approached with statements like, “I can’t even get my two children to behave, I cannot imagine having nine”. The truth is, if you cannot get your two children to behave then you probably should have stopped at one. I know, that was harsh but you are the parent.

As for me I am the most impatient person I know and I do not accept anything less than your best and that goes for my children as well. If they are wrong, I tell them they are wrong. If they are not doing their best, I tell them that too. If they are acting like a jerk, I let them know that as well. I am really bad at sugar coating things and that goes for my children as well. I pretty much treat my children like I treat my clients. I am not here to feed you fairytales about how wonderful you are and how great the world is. I am here to tell you the truth and prepare you for an even harsher truth called life.

So I suppose by now you are like, answer the question already! So, No. No I do not beat my children into submission otherwise my life would be much simpler. My children are very well behaved in public but let me tell you something, they are absolutely barbaric at home! I mean really, flipping through the house, jumping down the stairs, running around like loose weirdos, but in public, not a peep.

There really is no secret to it at all. Do I believe children should get their butt beat? Yup. I have seen some children that I just want to beat on site, old school with an extention cord but they are not mine so I digress and mind my business like I would like people to do about mine.

Again, I definitely have my days, especially trying to work on my businesses and homeschool whilst continuing to be a good wife and mother. It is tiring and oftentimes stressful. I recently spoke with someone about this issue I have about feeling like I was going to go crazy and she suggested I, get this, get organized!!! What, the nerve! But I took her advice and spent the last week in June creating a slew of schedules that I implemented starting July 1st. And although it is only the second of July, my life has never been so smooth sailing, even before the RushBunch. We stick to those schedules like my life depends on it (because I think it does). This is the second night where nine o’clock hit and all of my children are asleep. This feels like heaven! If I keep this up, this may not be the last Rush out of me yet [LIES].

I am so grateful for her and her wise words to me. Now I am like a child in a candy store; excited to get to bed before one a.m.

Family vacation my FOOT!

Posted on by JustAskMaia

So I have been off of here for a few days and there is so much that I would like to share with you guys, my thoughts, interactions, and goings-ons, that I am going to have to post a few blogs tonight just to catch up.

Let us start with this “family vacation” we have recently gone on……..

I do not even know where to start but let me first say that whoever came up with the term FAMILY vacation was obviously delusional in every aspect of the matter. At no point during our trip to Myrtle Beach did I feel or have the remote inkling that I was on vacation. There was nothing that I did that said vacation. I will admit though that everything said, family.

We were blessed to be able to get a room for a very reasonable rate that had a kitchenette in it. There was a pool right outside our door and the beach was like a 45 second walk. The customer service was awesome. The keep was exceptionally pleasant and I even messed up a plate and they did not charge me for it (mostly due to the fact that I was honest and brought it to their attention first). The best part is they were a family and couples only hotel which meant everyone was civilized and respectful of one another. The best part was they never one time turned their noses up or turned us down once they found out that we have 9 children; this is especially a rarity for us when we travel.

Now, the trip. While I felt very extended while away because i was not only doing the same everyday things that I do at home, I had to do them in tighter living quarters and if you know me you would know that I hate clutter and cluttered situations but I digress for the good of the trip. I still had to get up and cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I still taught school and created daily lessons, I still worked for one of my clients (which I will not do ever again), and I still had to pack, unpack, and clean. This has brought me to the sad conclusion that no matter where I am I will always be slave, er, I mean mom.

My children are spoiled to the max and I am okay with that sometimes; on vacation is NOT one of those times.

I am just whining. Although I still felt like the nanny-cook-housekeeper-slave, the smiles and enjoyment from my children makes it all worth it. We went to the beach that my children beg to go to all the time but when we get there, they remember that they are deathly afraid of the water. The laughter I get from that alone makes the trip worthwhile. Lol. Likewise with the pool. Sai almost drowned in 3 feet even though he is 4 foot 2 inches tall. I laughed so hard at his dramatics that I almost forgot to save him (so his brother jumped in to do it). I kept yelling stand up but he was too busy being dramatic. And before you flood me with the fact that it is possible for him to drown in three feet while being over four feet tall, yes, I am well aware of that but if you knew Sai you would totally see why it was funny.

In the end (and even some parts of during) I did thoroughly enjoy the trip <—— (notice I didn’t say vacation). It was fun plus I got to hit some cool Thrift Stores on the way home.

 

-Rush

Maia is tired. Maia is overwhelmed.. Don’t be like Maia.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Hello, my loves. Let me first start off by apologizing for my lack of blogging. It’s not that I don’t post because I have nothing to post rather it’s really the opposite. I cannot describe how full my life is. Well, I probably can but I am too full of procrastination to do better. See, the thing is, I am honestly not sure if it is because I procrastinate, which by the way I swear is generational curse, or whether it’s because I am so overwhelmed that I just do not feel like it. Maybe it’s a little of both but I cannot rid myself of the nagging feeling that I could do better.

 

While I have a ton of things to update you on, I will contain myself to talk to you about an important lesson I seem to keep learning over and over again. Don’t spread yourself thin. Although you may have the strongest heart’s desire to do so, you cannot help everyone.

 

Last night I posted a fraction of what my family went through and why we now do what we do with Rush Consulting Firm. It stated as follows:

 

“In 2012 I lost my job and my husband had already lost his. We became homeless and living in our car. Everywhere we went no one could or was willing to help us, including the church we went to. It was hard. We slept in our truck with our children (4 of them at the time). We washed at gas stations and fast food restaurants. We would get out early to labor pools just so we could pay the car note (our current HOME note) about once a week we would be able to check into a hotel to thoroughly wash and get a decent night’s sleep. No charities, No churches would help because we were a big family and they had no resources or room for us. We applied for government assistance but could not get it because we did not have an address. That is how Rush Consulting Firm was born, initially a resource and research business for the less fortunate it turned into a full time business with an array of services. Our most important goal still to this day is helping people because we have been there. We are sincere in everything we do because we believe we were not meant to struggle and if each one of us would just reach out and lend a hand, we wouldn’t. We start with us and hope everyone we help will pass it on.”

 

My intent was to post so people know that we have been where they are and teach them how to press forward and use their experience as a mountain of hope to others and while I am sure it came across to many that way, it also was taken as an offer of assistance to those whom have found themselves in our once similar position. And though I have no financial means or initial intentions what-so-ever to aid or assist anyone, only a fool would turn a blind eye to what could easily be a nightmare to my sister or brother.

 

The strings on my heart hang very low so are easily tugged. I used to hate it because people know I will do all I can to help someone, anyone. I have learned over the years not to hate the woman that God has made me to be, sensitivity and all. I over extend myself often. I put more on my shoulders than I am able to carry. I cry when I see someone in pain. I grind my teeth at injustice. Yet, I oftentimes find myself standing alone in my troubles and drowning in my fears feeling as though no one understands and I think to myself, that is probably how these people feel. I can’t help but to fantasize about helping every single person who comes across my path. But how can I? That’s easy, one person at a time; one sleepless night at a time. I cannot do it all but I will continue to try.

 

I will not sit here and tell you that is that hard because it isn’t; all it takes is a made up mind and a lot of dedication. I have that. I also will not say it is that easy because it surely is not.