There I sat in the driver’s seat of my car, tears filing up my eyes, saying to the two year old in my backseat, “Mommy’s sorry for getting frustrated sweetie. I am having a hard day, and I need God to help me.” It was in this moment of brokenness and humility, that I needed some encouragement. I needed someone sitting in the passenger seat to look at me and say, “You are doing a great job!” You see, this moment had been preceded by a tantrum and power struggle, that seemed to last for hours, that began right when we needed to leave the house. I felt defeated.
I know every mom has these moments, but here’s the problem: we don’t always see them! The majority of the moments we see are the “perfect” ones. We see the adorably dressed mom pushing her daughter in the shopping cart around the store, who never has to say, “Sit down! Stop touching! No whining!” The truth is that she probably doesn’t have to tell her daughter to sit down anymore because she’s held her ground through numerous, completely humiliating. public tantrums. She understands. She’s been there. We all have.
It’s on days like these that I often text a friend for some words of encouragement. There is something so healing in hearing the words, “I understand. I’ve been there, and you’re doing a good job.” I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we aren’t meant to do this alone! We need to be encouraged!
1. Every mom has punished too harshly in a moment of frustration. Learn from your mistakes, but don’t be hard on yourself. They’ve already forgotten about it, and so should you.
2. You can’t be good at everything! Focusing on being good at the most important things in your life is more effective and will make you feel more successful.
3. Enjoy your kids; The dishes can wait! Don’t get so caught up in tasks that you neglect relationships.
4. Don’t try and be like other moms. Your kids were gifted to you for a reason: They needed YOU, not the mom next door. God knew you would be able to love, support, nurture, and encourage them exactly the way they needed it. Don’t cheat them by trying to be someone else.
5. It’s okay to feel like you just need a break. Everyone needs a break from work, and when your job is your kids it’s not any different. If you’re a working mom, all the more reason for a break! Taking a morning/afternoon/weekend off is not selfish. Taking a break will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to jump back into being a happy mom!
6. When you mess up, apologize. Your kids need to see that you’re human too. Don’t hesitate to say sorry to your kids when you know you’ve fallen short. This will also show them a great example of humility, grace, and reconciliation.
7. Surround yourself with friends that encourage you and make you a better mom. You are who you hang out with, so choose your friends wisely!
8. You are doing a great job! The fact that you care enough about motherhood to take the time to read this, says that you are committed to being the best mom you can be. Motherhood is hard, but you were created for this. Good job mom.
Photo Credit: Mike Baird
The Well Nourished Nest 