My sweet wanna-be farmer husband is undertaking yet another hobby to go along with his chicken-raising and yogurt-making. We’re going to keep bees. As we’ve been researching (well, he’s been researching; I’ve been listening), I have become very impressed with the power of a queen bee. Here is just one tidbit:
The queen bee is the heart and soul of the honey bee colony. She is the reason for nearly everything the rest of the colony does. . . . A good quality queen means a strong and productive hive (article here).
Another thing we’ve learned is that if a hive is getting aggressive, one solution is to replace the queen in the colony. The queen has such a powerful influence on the other bees that sometimes the best choice is to replace her and introduce some less-aggressive vibe to the hive. She can change everything!
Now, not to leave out the awesome dads out there, but can we talk moms for just a minute? There is something truly remarkable about a mother’s influence on the feel of her home. She truly can be the “heart and soul.” Does your “hive” seem a little out of whack? Are your kids being too irritable and aggressive? Even as you help them improve their behavior, don’t overlook the chance you have to improve their actions by controlling your own.
Have you noticed that the mood in your home often mirrors your own? That’s not coincidence! Our influence comes in small ways with our attitude about housework or homework, or in big ways with how we model problem-solving skills or deal with frustration and anger. A mom who is always irritated, whiney, and negative will probably find that her household tends to lean that way as well. This doesn’t mean we have to be perfect moms, or even mostly perfect moms; we’ll have some bad days and make some bad decisions along the way. But is a foolish woman who doesn’t recognize her incredible power to model goodness, teach kindness, practice patience, and radiate joy. Just watch and see…be a happy queen and notice your busy little bees following your lead.
Wise words from a royal queen!