Spending any amount of time, a few hours or all day, with a young mom can be so telling. Now that I am beyond that stage of my life, I realize just how much stress is in the life of a young mom. It raises a few questions in my mind…
- Was I that stressed out as a young mom? (***Any of you that knew me then best not send me an email confirming what I already know that answer to be!)
- Did I worry about things that I need not worry about? (Again see comment in parenthesis above!)
- Did I put undue pressure on myself to do things perfectly or differently even though I was truly doing the best that I could? (see previous comments in parenthesis above!)
- Why? Why do we do this?
And so today’s post is just some simple thoughts on mothering and/or parenting, should you be a guy. Maybe it will take some chains off even one person. Perhaps it will loosen the last link from me even. So here we go….
- If you are a mom, you are already a hero to that little one. They love you & think you are the best thing. Even better than “ballila” ice cream.
- It really is OK to leave dishes in the sink. It means you were busy loving on your little one which is far more important.
- If someone comes over for a visit & washes said dishes in sink, it does not mean they are critical of you. It means they love you deeply & are so glad that you chose to spend the time with your little one rather than on the dishes.
- Mothering/parenting is HARD. I have said it & will continue to say it – it is the hardest work I have ever done.
- Each woman’s experiences are her own. Don’t compare. You are an individual as are each of your children.
- Yes, you are normal if you stay glued to the baby monitor to watch your little one sleep. Although you will need to seek help if they are 30 years old & you have put a tracking device on them.
- Just because you love being a mom doesn’t mean that you will not hate the clutter. That is OK. One day you will find the moldy cracker under the couch cushion or the binkie under the bed & cry. Seriously.
- Everyone has an opinion on how YOU should mother. Guess what? Only your opinion & God’s matters because you will be the one living it.
- There are times that just to make it through the day means you were successful.
- It’s OK to stay in your pj’s for the day. It really is. It may even be therapeutic.
And probably the best one…
11. Breathe. You really will make it through.
Yes, mothering/parenting is one of those tasks that you know you do by the grace of God. His grace. His strength. His mercy. His enabling. Take the pressure off of yourself. Just love them.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Â Â Â Â Â Â (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).Â
