The Mom I Admire (revisited)

Welcome back to another weekend reblog! This one was first published a little over a year ago and, honestly, I had forgotten about it, but I think it’s hopefully something that can give moms out there a little boost these days. After all, the world is still nuts and more than one of us has been locked up for too many months with children.

First published June 24, 2019

The mom I admire is a bit harried, a little scattered, and definitely missing a marble or three.

She constantly wonders how she’s stacking up against every other mom, especially the one without a hair out of place.

She spends all day begging her kids to eat, clean up after themselves, and stop screaming. And half the night tearfully pleading her baby to go to sleep.

She has permanent stains on her clothes from the time her oldest refused peas as a baby and the time she skidded on the dirt and grass to save her child from getting hurt and the time her sick kid puked all over her before falling asleep on her lap and the time…

She sneaks in chocolate or wine throughout the day just to maintain her sanity, and help her forget the cold coffee still sitting on the counter.

She never feels like she can remember anything, much less try to pull her family together so they look less like a zoo.

She pleads, begs, bribs, and cries, only to be met with laughs, screams, running kids, and hide and seek.

But she’s also the mom who lovingly kisses her kids no matter how naughty they were.

She’ll curl up on the couch for a snuggle and forget the laundry in the corner.

She plans activities her kids rave about to their friends and finds the cutest accessories for her daughter and the coolest shoes for her son.

Things don’t always go the way she planned, but they sure make for great memories.

She sweats the small stuff and stresses the big stuff, but always manages to pull herself together just to keep everyone alive.

Dinner isn’t always homemade, but at least everyone gets fed.

She’s always there for hugs, kisses, and unwanted advice. Her heart is always in the right place.

Sometimes she screams and yells and feels like a bad mom, but her kids still hug her and say she’s the best ever.

She’s patient and testy, silly and stern, but she’s perfect for the little humans she’s trying to raise.

Most of all, she remembers her kids will one day say thank you and I get it now when they have little humans of their own and it’s her turn to slip a piece of chocolate in her sugared up grandchild’s hand.

The mom I admire?

She’s you.

The mom trying to do everything and be everything and only half succeeding. Or maybe the mom who can do everything. Or the mom who can’t. But always the mom who loves her kids with her whole heart.

You are worthy of being admired.

For more of my parenting posts, stop by the Mother’s Corner.