I woke up this morning feeling like crap . Lying there in bed thinking of all the things that I have to do and haven’t done yet; thinking I don’t want to get out of bed today. I grabbed me some coffee and my iPad and stumbled across this blog. My kids are not babies and not grown up yet either; but this blog made me feel just a little better about myself then I did ten minutes ago. I wanted to share it with you mothers out there this morning. So you know too , it’s all going to be ok!
You’re not.
If you and I were sitting in Starbucks and you had your fave drink and I had my Caramel Macchiato I’d look at you, and I’d tell you the truth – you’re not failing.
I know. I’m guessing, you’d wipe away the tears, and look up, and try to nod your head, but inside, inside well, you’d think that those are nice words but seriously she has no idea. You know why I know? Because I’ve sat in a coffee shop, across from a friend, a friend who looked me smack in the face and told me that I wasn’t failing and that I was doing a great job.
How could she tell me I wasn’t failing?
Somehow in the mixed up media world we’ve got these thoughts of moms being perfect. Society doesn’t give us a break. I mean read this article in the New York Times about the pressure on moms to look a certain way after they give birth. And then? Then we’re to be ultra creative, crafty, humorous, happy, chipper, up before dawn, to sleep after dark, with our sinks shined, and the laundry folded, and tomorrow’s breakfast in the crockpot, with tomorrow’s dinner – pulled from our once-a-month cooking thawing in the fridge, while we work out for 20 minutes on odd days and 40 minutes on even days, and our hair is always done, we’re makeup ready, our fridges are stocked, and the craft closet bursting with ideas for that quick perfect afternoon art project that we’ll place on our recycled wood and mod podged adorned hand painted chalkboard.
And, in reality, it’s 8am and we’re just getting up. The baby was up all night, or the toddler sick, or honestly, we were just tired. We get our coffee and flip on facebook and our stream is flooded with stuff people have already done {I always tell myself — different time zones} and we’re racing to catch up with this never before except for the last hundred years perfect never feel like you’re failing mom ideal that is exhausting.
You know what my friend told me? She told me to slow down. Slow down? How in the world when I felt like I was failing was I to slow down? I had way way way too much to do and I needed to read that parenting book to work on my attitude and and and…and. And she told me enough. And that I was a good mom.
You know, you’re not failing.
You need to start to see all you do accomplish in a day. All the smiles of encouragement, meals made, clothes changed, books read, and more. Just like I wrote yesterday – we make mistakes {ten things moms need to remember} – we just need to learn from them. We’re out of breath, racing, and exhausted, but truly not failing. Failing means stopping. Not getting up, not trying, not giving. That’s not you.
I want you to stop telling yourself you’re failing. Instead I want you to replace it with I can do this.
You can do this.
Those soundtrack words and feeling about failing are just feelings. Don’t let them define you anymore. If you hear I’m failing replace it immediately with I can do this.
If you were across the table from me that is what I would tell you.
And, of course, I’d tell you do one thing. I’m going to write and say it again and again and again. Write your list of things you want to do, need to do, and would love to do today with your family. And then, do one thing from each list. If you stumble, brush yourself off, and start again. Don’t worry that the neighbor across the street seems to be doing twenty or the pinterest pin tells you that the perfect home can be achieved in 6 Easy Steps. This is your life – and you – you are the perfect mother for those children. God knew when he blessed those kids to you.
Remember that.
You are a good mom. You matter. You are making a difference.
You can do this.
One step, one day, at a time.
From me, one mom in the midst of motherhood, to you.
~Rachel
Read The Motherhood Thread to learn why our differences are to be celebrated.
I love this! (:
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