One of the greatest favors we can do for ourselves is learn to identity those moments we can enjoy with our kids versus the moments we must endure. Confusing the two just leads to trouble.

Moments to endure are those when you want to scream at your child, “Why are you making this so difficult? How hard is it to go poop in the potty?!” In times like these it’s easy to wonder what we’re doing wrong, but the truth is this: Parenting isn’t supposed to be easy. If we fail to admit that, we’re just setting ourselves up for failure and resentment. Instead, just hang in there and endure those moments.

On the other hand, the moments to enjoy are right under our noses, and yet they are usually harder for us to recognize. They take place while making dinner or getting ready for bed. They’re impromptu, unannounced, and easily overlooked. If we actively looked for more of those instead of trying to create good moments out of tough circumstances, we might find ourselves needing to muster less endurance to run the race.