Sweet Success

These last few weeks have been hectic.  My kids.  Work.  Social activities.  Spring has sprung and it seems like the calendar has been full to the brim.  Every two years the February – March period is busy for professional reasons, too.  Every two years continuing education credits are due.  In all honesty, it’s a process I dread: gathering class certificates, counting credits, completing paperwork.  You get my drift.   

In addition to my professional license, I earned an advanced certificate in Children, Youth and Family Social Work several years ago.  Renewing this certificate always ends the same: with a bright, shiny gold sticker arriving in the mail which is intended to be affixed to my social work license.  This year my gold sticker just happened to arrive the same day my son came home with a similar gold sticker awarded after he listened well at preschool.  And, it hit me.  We issue stickers and stamps and other goodies to our kids on a regular basis, but why don’t we offer similar rewards to adults?

Think about it for a minute.  When was the last time you got a high five, a certificate of appreciation or a paper award with a big ole smiling trophy a la the ones issued to our children in school?  When was the last time you got to pick a sticker from the big roll at YOUR doctor’s office for not crying during a shot?  Or, at YOUR dentist when you didn’t cry during your root canal?  For some reason as we grew, society forgot how important those little tangible rewards are and we were left without any regular reward system that we could see and touch in place. 

I say it’s time to change that, Stork Supporters!  I think it’s time we start rewarding ourselves with tangible goodies.  Now, clearly, as adults paper stickers probably don’t mean that much to us.  But, what if we swapped out stickers for a day at the spa?  Or, a peaceful dinner alone at our favorite restaurant?  Or for 30 minutes of quiet time to meditate or read a book? 

As parents we plan, prepare, manage, execute and accomplish so many things each day.  And whether or not they go exactly as planned, we still tried our very best.  It’s about time we start giving ourselves the credit we deserve and the rewards we so desperately need.  So the next time you feel guilty for taking some much needed “me-time,” remember back on all the “stickers” you earned over the week, give yourself a big ole proverbial pat on the back, and bask in your successes.

Sincerely,

From the Stork’s Nest ~

Liz