I am the mom who …
Some time ago, I got the idea for a blog post about how I am the type of mom that wipes my kids’ runny noses with their shirts in a pinch.
Or sometimes not in a pinch, let’s be honest.
There are others out there like me, right? I wouldn’t call it being lazy, but I just figure it works.
It works to give them fruit snacks from a package as a bribe to get them into the car faster when we’re leaving the house.
Same goes for having strict bedtimes and routines, no matter where we are.
Letting my kid cry.
Eat dirt.
Have a hug whenever either of them want one.
There’s a slight pleasure I take in saying no. At least once a day when I do say no (to a treat, screen time, whatever it may be), I think to myself how easy it could be to just say yes. And then I stick to my original answer and move on.
Five-year olds and one-year olds have a much harder time moving on, just in case you were wondering.
But I stand my ground.
I am the mom that says no. Quite a bit.
I also had a conversation with a friend and fellow mom the other day about how hurtful it can be being a mom. For example, Archer told me that he wanted someone else to be his mom after we had a conversation about being nice to his brother.
Never mind that we had gone to the library that morning and they got cheese buns for lunch while we were grocery shopping, had spent the afternoon in our kiddie pool out back, followed by an afternoon treat of freezies.
It’s hard to remember that kids don’t see things the same way that we do. That all of the positive things that happened don’t matter when faced with negativity in a moment. No matter the reason or lesson behind it.
I think sometimes us adults have a difficult time remembering the positive things too. But just because we talk about the hard things, doesn’t mean that we’re not grateful for them. And just because kids say mean things, doesn’t mean that they’re not good kids.
After a lot of talking with his dad, and hugs and coaxing from me, Archer apologized to me after saying that he wanted a different mom. It still stung, but in those few hours I learned a lot. About myself, and Archer. And life.
I am the mom that’s doing the best that I can.
Just like we all are.
I am the best mom I can be, and that’s okay.
With mom love,
Anya