When the baby won’t nap and the preschoolers temper has flared again, resulting in lost privileges, cancelled outings and a long time-out in her room. For those times when you think your kid is the only one who doesn’t obey the first, second or 13th time. When you think you are at your wits end and can’t take even another second of the whining, hitting, screaming and needing. Oh, the needing. The constant clinging, pulling neediness of these little creatures that we created thinking that they would enhance our lives, not destroy and remake them.
For those low moments as a mom when you are ready to ship them off to toddler boot camp or call the super nanny, and you are sure everyone and anyone is doing a better job than you. I’ll remind you of something that I could really use myself today. You are the best mom for your kids.
As hard as it seems, no one else can raise them better than you. Yes, it is hard. Yes, there are days when you wish you could quit. You wonder if this whole attempt at parenthood and family life was a mistake. (Don’t worry, it wasn’t and isn’t). If you didn’t care so much, it wouldn’t hurt so badly. That’s how I know you are a good mom. You care about the end result.
Our kids tear open our old wounds and reveal our worst features. I see my daughter miss out on opportunities because of her misbehavior and I see my own mistakes in life that I wish I could do over again. I remember all the times I wanted to avoid punishment and insisted I’d learned my lesson from the threat of punishment alone. But I probably wouldn’t remember those incidents today, if my parents hadn’t stood firm. So I hold the line. With calm explanations and tears both seen and hidden, I stick to my guns when more than anything I want to fold. Give up, and just let her have her way so that peace can be restored again.
So when you think you are the only one, that it won’t get any better, and that some how you failed. Take my word for it: You Aren’t, It Will, and You Haven’t. Sending out prayers today for all the other moms that have had days like this one.
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