Do you ever wonder if your kids are getting the short end of the mom stick? I do. I feel like I fall short as an example when I run late in the mornings {which is often}, and when I don’t eat healthy {hello, waffle fries!} But that’s not the mom I dreamed I’d be one day.
The kind of mom I always said I’d be
I always thought I’d be the fun mom, driving a mini-van, singing out loud and basically living out a Disney Channel sitcom. We’d be like the “Stuck in the Middle” family, but with fewer kids. But while we’ve had our share of singing in the car {you know it’s true if you know me!}, there’s also been quite a bit of yelling {in English and en Español}.
Maybe my kids got the short end of the minivan mom stick. Instead of getting happy singing minivan mom, they got the SUV-driving, mocha-sipping, impatient-yelling mom. To be fair, they occasionally get happy singing mom. I can’t help it when my JAMS play on the radio. HA!
The kind of mom I think I am
It’s possible that I’m being extra hard on myself with all this. I think I’m an “ok” mom. Not super great. I’m definitely not a PTA Mom {mad respect for y’all!} I work outside the home full time, and barely make it to the kids’ events at school, although I try to make it to as many as I can.
We eat sorta healthy at home, but we also eat out A. LOT. I wish I set a better example for my kids working out more, but I haven’t been to my friend’s bootcamp gym in FOREVER. {Was it around December? In case you’re wondering, that would be December 2018. It hasn’t been THAT forever!}
We all probably have a different idea of the “perfect mom.” I know that’s an impossible standard and I don’t stress about all of it. Only some of it. We all have strengths and weaknesses. I never expected to be “crafty Pinterest mom”, although I’ve been known to make unicorn slime successfully!
I also wasn’t expecting to be Julia Child. My kitchen heroes as a young mom were Rachael Ray {30 minute meals} and Semi-homemade with Sandra Lee. I’m pretty content to be the “keep it simple and quick in the kitchen” mom.
I’m also just fine NOT trying to be Joanna Gaines or have farmhouse decor because that’s not me. I’m more like the reality TV star of “Messy Housewives of Houston.” Not too messy, because of those Flylady emails {ask me if you don’t know!}
To be honest, I don’t think my kids are getting the short end of the mom stick here. I think I’m ok being an “ok mom.” Nothing more, nothing less.
The mom my kids really see
Some days, it just really hits me. It doesn’t matter what kind of mom I thought I would be. And it doesn’t matter if I’m accurate in my description of the mom I actually am. What kind of mom do my kids actually get?
In the morning, they often get “rushing to get out the door and hope we make it on time” mom.
After school, the get the “busy, let’s get ALL THE THINGS done” mom. And yes, that includes homework, putting away ALL your stuff and let’s do a load of laundry while I vacuum and try to remember to throw something in the Instant Pot.
In the evenings, my kids get “exhausted, but trying to stay positive” mom. They also get “WHY AREN’T Y’ALL IN BED YET?” mom sometimes. But I love it when they get “let’s read a Bible story and snuggle for an extra minute sweet nighttime mom.” That’s my favorite. She sometimes sings lullabies.
I may not love it when my kids get the “short end of the stick” mom on my harder days. But don’t we all have those days? Maybe the trick to giving our kids more of the best possible mom we can be is to let them see the real us. Every facet of us- the funny, imperfect, wonderful and difficult, makes us who we are.
If my kids see me working to be more patient and less “yelly,” I think we’ll all turn out ok. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some singing in the car to do. My JAM just came on!
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