Mom, You Can Handle It
There are so many joys that come along with motherhood. Watching a little person grow is priceless. I remember desiring to be a mother for so long. Patiently waiting on the moment in which I would feel the love that only a child can give.
I had no idea how hard this life would be, how much added pressure I’d live with and how much I’d have to be ten thousand times more intentional about making sure that I am caring for myself well, while doing this mommy thing.
Listen mama, I know what you are probably thinking; No one prepared you for this. You didn’t know it would be this hard. Many days are great but when days are bad, they are pretty darn bad. There aren’t enough hours in the day. How the heck are we supposed to get all of this done? At what point will rest actually be a thing again? Will it ever? Can it ever?
I’m here to tell you, I’m right there with you Boss Mom. I’ve often felt stressed out, burnt out and wanted to just knock out and sleep for days at a time because the exhaustion is so real, and then there is the reality that its not even possible to do that. As a working mom, I know all too well how hard it can be. As I’ve worked to make sure that I’m doing this mom thing well, while also loving myself well, the following are some tips that I absolutely live by, and my prayer is that they will help you find more peace and be able to better enjoy this journey of motherhood.
1. Breathe. I often found myself getting all worked up over the smallest things as a new mom. Baby girl getting messy, her hair being a mess, toys all over the house. I’ve learned to truly pull back and just breathe. She’s a kid. No one cares that her hair is a mess, its expected that she is going to make ALL the messes and well…. Soon she wont be interested in toys and I’ll miss the days when she wanted to play. So for today, I choose to just breathe and go with the flow.
2. Laugh. Being a mother you often have two choices. Get upset or laugh about it. I choose to laugh. When my curious toddler pulls all of the pots and pans out of the cabinet while I’m in the restroom, when she decides to brush the dog with her toothbrush, when she wont go to sleep because she wants to watch paw patrol, when she goes into her room and unfolds all of the clothes I just folded up 10 min. ago…. LAUGH…. Because being upset just isn’t worth it.
3. Enjoy. I truly get a kick out of all of the moments that I get to enjoy. Every bad thing tends to have some good in it if you search hard enough. For instance, a child who is acting out at school, may be longing for some extra attention. Creating a safe space to provide that child extra attention would mean developing a more solid bond with that child and helping to foster an environment where the child can learn better ways to communicate their need. A child who wont eat certain foods may find joy in eating something that they themselves assisted in cooking. You can include them in the preparation to help create excitement about eating the meal. You’ll enjoy the extra quality time and they will too.
I’ve learned that being a mom is all about creativity. You have to make it work in a way that best suits you. You have to get comfortable with yelling plot twist and you have to not take yourself so serious all of the time. It’s okay to relax. It’s okay that this journey isn’t perfect. You are still learning and growing through each phase of your child’s life. You don’t have to know it all today. Shoot, you likely won’t know it all, ever, because as children progress into adulthood, their needs, wants, desires and personalities may change. That’s okay. Your job as a Boss Mom is to love them well, teach them to be decent human beings and trust that you did your very best. That’s it. If you can say that you are doing that, then you are doing a phenomenal job. Life is definitely sometimes a challenge. The struggle is sometimes real, but always remember, the goal is to overcome every mental encounter.
