Recently I was having a discouraging day, wondering if being a stay at home mom was a good idea after all. Dealing with two cranky, teething two year olds was driving me crazy. I was questioning my ability to be a good mom, because I just didn’t have it in me that day.
As I went over some old blog posts, I came across one of the first ones I ever wrote, on my very first Mother’s Day as a new mom. I’m so glad I did because it reminded me why I’m doing what I’m doing.
So if you’re a stay at home mom that is feeling discouraged, or even a working mom, then I hope this can encourage you to keep going..because what we do as mom’s really is worth it all in the end.
You can read the full post here.
All I ever wanted was to be a mom…
Now that I am a mom, I realize how tough it really is. The days are long and the nights are short. The diapers just keep coming and it’s the same duties every day. Little people are depending on you for everything, and you can’t just clock out or take a vacation. If you are a stay-at-home mom then you can end up feeling a bit weary of caring for others all day without a break for yourself.
There might be moments you wonder why you chose to not go back to work or to get a job if you didn’t have one before. You might feel that it’s a thankless job where you get no appreciation from the little ones you spend so much time and energy caring for.
But then you get a little snuggle or a smile..you kiss a boo boo better or you rock your baby to sleep..and suddenly it’s just all worth the effort. You are your kid’s supermom. You are the best mom for them, and someday (maybe once they have kids of their own!) they will look back and realize all the work you actually did for them, and they will be so thankful.
The time we spend caring for our family is never wasted. It’s the most important job in the world because you are imputing into a little life values and morals. You are helping them to be the person they were created to be and teaching them to reach their potential in life. Everything you do as a mom has such a big influence, even on to generations down the road.
Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged or feel like you’re failing, especially if you are a first time mom like me and situations come up where you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. Or you have crazy expectations of what you should be doing and just don’t have the time or energy to do.
Remember that it doesn’t mean you’re failing if you get frustrated or stressed or just have a really bad day. We need to be real with ourselves about our own limitations. Our kids don’t need us to be perfect, they need us to be real.
So next time you’re feeling down about your mothering or feel like no one notices all you do, remember that those little eyes are always watching, and those little ears are always listening. You have the chance to teach your kids how to deal with their emotions and how to react to what life throws at them.
You have the chance to make a difference, to influence a life. And that in itself is an amazing thing. Sometimes you just have to take one day at a time, enjoy the good moments, and learn from the bad. Plant the seeds, cultivate, water and watch them grow into something beautiful.
