3 Lessons I’ve Learned Being a Mom

I know, I know, raising kids is hard. Being a mom is hard. Our kids have limited emotional regulation skills, they act in inexplicable ways (WHY has my son spent the last week carrying around a measuring cup?), and they need a lot of your energy – which is often in short supply.

But you know what else? Kids are wise. They see things simply and find joy in things that matter, and better yet? They teach you to do the same.

Photo Credit: @julienfranks

1. Kids are better than adults in just about every way – treat them as such.

Kids are innocent. I firmly believe that children are taught to hate others – they do not come upon it naturally. They have a strong sense of justice. Kids are forgiving. Through all my failures (and there are many!), my kids never hesitate to forgive. They offer more love and grace than any adult I know. And I know I don’t deserve it.

It’s so easy to treat them as kids, but they are really just tiny humans with their own dreams and feelings. Us mamas need to remember to respect them as such. Just as we learn better from a teacher or mentor that validates and respects us, so do our kids.

2. Respect other mamas’ choices – we need each other.

Mamas have very different ideas of what is best for their family. Breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, vaccines, no vaccines, stay at home, work outside of the home…these can all be issues that are easy to pass judgement on. But guess what? All mamas are different, and all kids are different! What is best for your family might not be best for annother family. The bottom line is we need each other. Motherhood is SO MUCH EASIER with loving, supportive friends who will drop everything to come over and help you when you need it. Find those mamas. And more importantly, BE that mama.

Along similar lines offer YOURSELF grace. Social media makes it way too easy to see other moms doing Pinterest crafts, making sensory bins, and seemingly “doing it all”. But you know what? The mom making crafts probably yelled at her kids this morning too - that video just isn’t on Facebook. Not able to breastfeed? That’s okay. Your baby will still thrive. Remember that there has never been the exact combination of you and your baby in the history of the world before. No comparison you make will be equivalent.

3. Finally – MOMS CAN DO ANYTHING.

You are strong and brave. Your body grew a human. Or maybe – you fought like crazy to adopt your child for way longer than 9 months. He or she is YOURS and you can (and will) literally do anything for your child. Life is hard. It throws curveballs you never saw coming. And things you thought you could never do – you do them. Because you have to.

Your child is depending on you. The baby you weren’t expecting – just mere months after your last baby was born. The job loss. A scary diagnosis you’re not sure you can handle. If you’re a mama bear, you can handle it. Not without making mistakes along the way, but you will fight for your child like you’ve never fought for anything before. Day in and day out. 

It’s normal to doubt your abilities as a parent – everyone does. But you WILL surprise yourself. You will keep walking through the storm, whether you can see your hand in front of your face or not.

What lessons have you learned from being a mom?