1. I am doing the best that I can and I'm okay with that. Is my house perfect - no way! Are my kids perfectly behaved - never! Do I serve my family joyfully - not always! Do I forget things at school like teacher appreciation week and to send in lunch money - yes! (I did both of those last week) I could go on...but the important thing is that I have learned to be okay with not being perfect as a mom. With each addition to our family I have learned to relax more, let go more and to just be okay with what I can accomplish. My kids need a happy mom way more than they need a perfect mom. When it was just Madelyn I felt like how she acted, looked and behaved was a direct relation to how I was doing as a mom. Now, 8 years and 3 more kids later I know this is not true. It's a process learning to let go and cherish what is really important. I'm still working on this.
2. My job status does not make me a better or worse mom. During these years as a mom I have worked a variety of schedules from one day a week up to full-time. Was I a better mom when I worked one day a week than I am today working full-time? No! I will say life was easier with me being at home more, and I do hope to go back to part-time work when Jason finishes school. I probably treasure the time with my kids more when I am working full-time. We do not have as much time together so I really appreciate each moment we have together. I think we as mothers put so much pressure on each other. Why do we do this? Does staying at home and home-schooling make a better mother than a mom who works full time and sends her kids to public school? If so, I fall into the "bad mom" category! But I know I am a good mom! I love my kids and they are thriving and turning into responsible caring people. Each family works differently and we should support one another rather than judge and create guilt!
Mothering is a journey and I am so blessed with my four kids. I'm sick today with a sinus infection and bronchitis (yuck!) but am having a good day. The kids surprised me with sweet homemade items and then Jason surprised me with two chairs I had been eying for our front porch. I'm relaxing and resting today and Jason is fixing a yummy dinner and my parents will be joining us to eat.
My new chairs with all my homemade gifts
Anna-Grace made this at school. Love!
Madelyn wrote a haiku
Caroline's class each wrote something about their mom and it was made into a book!
Silas must not have done a special craft at school but he gave me a butterfly hat and wings. Lol!
4 comments:
So sweet! I love Silas' creativity!
AMEN to everything that you said! I feel the same way, and I really struggle with all of those thoughts, too. I hope that you feel better soon. Happy Mother's Day! :)
I love this! I feel like I'm still in the early stages of learning that it's okay not to be perfect (not that I think I am perfect, just that I often hate that I can't have it all together!). I too am learning to give myself more grace, let things go, and realize that I am a good mom to my boys even if the laundry is piled up to the ceiling :) Happy Mother's Day!
You hit the nail on the head when you said that your kids would rather have a happy mom than a perfect mom! You are a great mom and your love for your children shines through in everything you do!
As CJ so eloquently stated, "You're souper!" Love it!
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