Let’s be honest, motherhood can be challenging. I have discovered these 3 mantras and they have been helping me get through some of the tough moments.
“I am right where I need to be.”
As a mom there is ALWAYS a to do list. Something needs to be done, someone needs to be take care of. Wants and needs are always being demanded. Some days I feel like I can conquer the world and other days it’s 3 p.m. no shower, a pile of dishes, still not dressed, a laundry pile up, house covered in toys, no work-out in and I wonder where did the the time go? What have I even got done today? But maybe it was consoling meltdown after meltdown today. Maybe both boys could not get along with their toys and I had to stop what I was doing to remind them for the 5th time we have to share. Maybe it was holding my daughter to fall asleep because all she wanted was mama’s arms today. When we are in these times, where the demands of needs and wants are high, it’s easy to think of that never ending to do-list. It’s easy to think of all the things you were hoping to accomplish for the day. And it’s very easy to get overwhelmed and stressed about it. But I’ve learned these moments, these times, these days– are exactly what I am suppose to be doing and that never ending to do list will ALWAYS be there and it can always wait.
“I promise to be your calmer.”
This is one that I LOVED so much I actually have it on a post-it note on my fridge. It’s a great visual reminder (especially with 3 under 4). I’m going to come out and say it. Staying calm, time after time, when our children are not is a SKILL. For the most part, I feel pretty confident in myself with this area but then again I am human and patience can run thin. There are times when I feel defeated and exhausted from the battles. But I have to remind myself, when our children are having a rough time with big feelings– what is my job in that moment? It’s to be their calmer, to give them a safe space. They are little humans navigating a big world with so many emotions and their problems are going to be little human problems. Things that may seem so small to us are BIG for them. That is OKAY. I wouldn’t want them to tackle big adult problems at 4, 2, and 9 months. Why would we? Validate their feelings. Be the calm, not the storm. Be the calm, not the chaos. Our children need that.
“This is just a season.”
Oh the struggles, sometimes they feel never ending. Like for instance- SLEEP REGRESSION. I think we can all relate to that and we wonder if we will ever get adequate sleep ever again? If our child will ever sleep through the night? But one day, whatever the struggle is, WILL come to an end. It’s hard to see in the moment, but it really does. As a mom of 3, I know this. I can remember my first born waking up on the dot at 10:00 p.m. every night around 1 1/2 years old. I never thought it was going to end. I remember holding my 2nd born to sleep during the early months ALL DAY LONG because if I dared to put him down he would wake up and be fussy. These days were long, but in reality they were short. Whatever the current struggle, remember this is just a season.
I hope these mantras are just as helpful to you as they are to me!
XOXO
Dany
