Disclaimer: These posts are dedicated to following along with the book “Deliberate Motherhood: 12 Key Powers of Peace, Purpose, Order & Joy,” a compilation of essays on motherhood written by authors who contribute to the Power of Moms website. Each month has a different “power” to focus on with the purpose of finding peace, purpose, order and joy in the role of motherhood. I will be writing various posts each month based on that theme. You don’t have to have the book to follow along though! January’s theme is “Acceptance.”
I knew when I planned to have children that I wanted to be the best Mom I could be. I knew that I wanted my kids to have the same kind of childhood I did… magical, fun, full of love… and I was going to be the provider of all this (in my perfect vision). I wanted to be the kind of Mom who gave everything her all. Her very best. And I try! I do.
But, to be honest, there are many MANY days that I’m simply feeling worn out. Taking care of the kiddos full time is exhausting! I just can’t be “ON” all of the time. I can’t be everything all of the time. That’s been a real eye opener for me.
There are days when I am just so wiped out in the morning that I can barely get out of bed. Those are the kinds of days where I shuffle around in a stupor…wearing my pajamas all day long, never combing my hair, never putting my contacts in. It’s even worse when I’m sick (stay at home Moms don’t get sick days). I have to rest and take care of both kids who have lots of energy. These are the days that are long and arduous that leave me feeling spent. I’m not doing my best on those days. And a lot of other days when I’m just plain tired out… I’m less than my best.
The tv ends up on all day, lunch is some crackers and fruit strewn together, and the kids are in their jammies all day too. I just sort of lay there and can’t get out of my funk. So I don’t really do anything but the bare minimum. I can even get grouchy and whiny (who, meeee?).
You know what? Sometimes, that’s ok. That’s what’s needed. Why do I beat myself up about these days? Everyone has them!
^^^Maren the Wonder Dog knows how to loaf^^^
We are taught early on that we must always try and do our best. That, if we do our best, then that is good enough. Or, you can feel good as long as you tried hard.
But, what about the days where you don’t try? You don’t do your best? You eat popcorn for dinner and don’t do the dishes. You don’t read books to the kids and you don’t show interest in moving from the couch. You heave heavy sighs when you have to wipe sticky fingers again or vacuum up all those crumbs that weren’t there a minute ago. I’ve decided that those days are part of mothering and part of life for all of us. Our body tells us when we need down time and time to check out. That mediocrity is ok in order to save our sanity.
Stay at home moms don’t get vacation time, so I look at these days of mediocrity as just that. Vacation time. And nobody gets hurt. We just get back to things in a day or two, albeit a bit more refreshed than before.
I’ve decided that I’m not going to feel sorry for giving it my least effort sometimes. Some days mediocre is good enough. I’m learning to accept that I don’t always need to give my best in order to be a good Mom. It simply means I need to be good to myself and allow myself time to turn it all off and loaf around for the sake of taking time for me. And I think that’s a good lesson to teach my kids. Accepting that we can’t always give our best allows us to relax and know that we deserve a break now and again. It keeps us from burning out and allows us to really be there for our kids when they need us most. And that is what’s important. At least, to me anyway.
What are some things you’d like to do better? What do you do to allow yourself a break now and again?
Mrs. Hide & Seek’s Deliberate Motherhood Series part 3 of 8
1. Deliberate Motherhood: Introduction by Mrs. Hide and Seek2. Acceptance: Motherhood Isn't Predictable by Mrs. Hide and Seek
3. Acceptance: Sometimes Mediocre is Good Enough by Mrs. Hide and Seek
4. Acceptance: Love Your Child As She Is by Mrs. Hide and Seek
5. Deliberate Motherhood: Using Love in Our Favor by Mrs. Hide and Seek
6. Deliberate Motherhood: Love is in the Work by Mrs. Hide and Seek
7. Deliberate Motherhood: Patience at 2am by Mrs. Hide and Seek
8. Deliberate Motherhood: Patience, Dear Mother by Mrs. Hide and Seek
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Thank you! This was my day yesterday! LO slept like cr@p Sunday night (crying every two hours) and of course she woke up cranky and tired. We stayed in bed and watched lots of tv!
blogger / pomegranate / 3300 posts
I feel this way a lot. I have come to terms with some of my imperfections as a mom. I used to feel horribly guilty when I was looking forward to my kids bedtime. But now I just accept that sometimes I just want to relax and have some me time and that’s not a bad thing.
clementine / 943 posts
I love this post!!
Even as a working mom, I can relate. I don’t think any moms really get sick days- unless you’re going to have childcare for the day, you’re stuck at home taking care of your LO just the same as a SAHM. I certainly would cancel a babysitter (unless I were incapacitated, or childcare was my MIL, aka, free) if I were staying home sick.
I know that in this context, the “job” is being a mom… But don’t we all have that job? I guess I’m just trying to tell you how awesome this post is because I think it resonates with all mommies
honeydew / 7488 posts
Hear, hear! We don’t have to be perfect every day, or even try to be. I, too want my kids to see me as a human being, someone who has limitations or needs a break once in a while, not necessarily as a domestic goddess who should be put on a pedestal (although there certainly are days when I try to be that too)!
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
Great post — I wish everyone would be this honest! It would make motherhood so much easier.
apricot / 370 posts
wow this post just hit home hard. i have a toddler and a 2 month baby, and taking care of both of them is really hard. when i just had 1, i thought that was hard, but now that i have the 2 of them and juggling both of them, feeding both of them, and keeping the toddler entertained and engaged, on top of keeping the household clean and dinner on the table, wow, just a ton of work. my husband has been sick too, so i have to take care of him too and he hasn’t been able to help. i am preparing to go back to work in 2 months, and i have to say, i can’t wait to have a change of pace, and have someone else take care of the kiddos (grandma/grandpa will watch 2 days, and the other 3 days baby will go to daycare, while the toddler will start preschool). i never thought i’d say how much i look forward to work.
grapefruit / 4049 posts
love your honesty. I had a day like this yesterday and it was hard to let things go, but I knew I needed it.
guest
Right there with you! Reminds me of the sermon at my brother in law’s wedding. The minister spoke of how when you love someone you do things you don’t want to for them. Until then I’d always thought that if you loved someone you should WANT to do those things. Children made me realize that’s not the case : ) We all gotta give ourselves a break!