This past weekend during a trip to the park, Jaxon fell off of the swing and I immediately went into panic mode. As my heart was beating out of my chest, unsuccessfully balancing Sophia on my hip, and frantically trying to check every inch of uncovered skin, Jaxon simply stood, dusted himself off, and said, "I'm okay, Mommy" and ran over to the sandbox. The saying is true - kids really are as tough as nails.
After this mini heart attack, I got to thinking - do I create unnecessary stress for myself? Do I worry about the most minute details that I miss out on some of the "big" moments? These following points were some of the major revelations I pondered, Mott's juice box in hand.
1) Trying To Be "Supermom": There is no such thing. As a new mom or a mom of multiple, new situations will present themselves daily that one may not have the answer for. If you are able to get laundry folded, the bathroom cleaned, dinner on the stove, and write a new blog post during your toddler's nap time, then fabulous! You are AMAZING! But for most of us, we are lucky to finish 1/3rd of the items on our "To-Do" Lists. So take comfort in knowing that finding these Supermom's are rare and that the amount of tasks you can complete doesn't measure how great of a mom you are!
2) Being Scared To Make A Mistake: When Jaxon first came into our lives, I'll be the first to admit it: I was scared out of my mind. No matter how many books I read or awkward birthing videos I made Adam sit through, having a living, breathing human being bundled up like a burrito in your lap really changes things. I had to switch to the unlimited cell plan because I was calling my mother on average 17 times a day. No, seriously. I sometimes got so caught up in making sure everything was done "the right way", that I didn't allow myself to learn my own ways of doing things. Trying things on your own allows you to create your own way of doing things, mistakes included. You get comfortable through learning and sometimes learning involves making a mistake or two along the way.
3) Stop Overlooking Moments: Time never slows down for anyone and I find myself rushing from one playdate to another, never really stopping to look at the little things. Your kids are only kids for what seems as long as it takes to blink. So instead of rushing through play time or multitasking during a swim or tennis lesson- take pictures, involve yourself. Do everything and anything you can to preserve a memory! The half finished grocery list can wait.
4) Worrying Constantly: As shown in the park example above, worrying about every little thing that could go wrong will not prevent it. While it is good to make your child's safety and comfort a priority, covering them from head to toe with padding, helmets, and shields to walk down the street may be a little much. Understand that things can and will almost always be out of your complete control.
5) Putting Your Own Needs Aside: The quote "Happy wife, happy life" is in some ways very accurate. But what about happy moms? I'm guessing there isn't a quote about happy mom's because I'm sure it's pretty impossible to find a word that rhymes with "mom". But really, allowing yourself a moment or two to enjoy something on your own, such as a mocha frapp with extra whipped cream and ten minutes of quiet or taking advantage of a half off manicure coupon at the cheap salon down the street. Whatever it is, trivial or not, taking a few minutes out of everyday to say "Hey, I'm a human and I have needs too!" is important in maintaining your sanity. Just don't let those few minutes turn into a 7 day binge of greasy foods and champagne.
What are some things you wish you would stop doing to yourself?
