You know how you read blogs, see pictures on Instagram or an update on Facebook and wonder what a day in the life of that person is like? What kind of mom they are? What things they let their kids get away with? What kind of limits they have, if any? Do they ever lose their cool? I do this all the time and I'm here today to tell you the type of mom I am, and the type of mom I'm not.
I am the mom that doesn't over-think things. The kids dont want to eat lunch today? Fine, they won't let themselves starve. Noah wants to go to bed with a cape and sunglasses on? Sounds super uncomfortable to me but, hey, whatever floats your boat kid. Even when the kids were infants (even Noah being our first) Daniel and I were pretty relaxed when it came to most things. We don't freak out at the first sign of a runny nose. If they acted hungry we fed them. If they fell asleep but it wasn't quite nap time, we let them sleep. I think babies and kids know what they need, so to speak, so we let them sort of pave the way. We found the more uptight we were about things the more fussy and irritable the kids would be.
I am not the mom that has patience. This is something I pray for on a daily basis and struggle with more than anything else in this parenting game. I have a short fuse, especially when it comes to unnecessary tantrums and just plain ole bad behavior. I have slammed doors, I have thrown toys, I have yelled to the point that my child is scared of me. I hate that about myself and it's definitely one of my biggest flaws. Thankfully it doesn't happen very often and normally it's very short-lived but damn, I hate it. Thankfully Daniel and I are a great tag team and he can swoop in when I have had enough and vice versa.
I am the mom who will let my kid make a huge mess if it'll buy me 5 minutes of peace so I can go to the bathroom alone. Sometimes it's worth it, other times I think it would have just been easier to let them come in the bathroom and ask 5 million questions about what, exactly, I'm doing. Again, I struggle here because I like to keep a tidy house and the thought of yet another mess to clean up breaks me out in hives but if it allows me to do something that needs to be done, a mess will be made.
I am not the mom who is a germ freak. We don't always wash our hands after we go to the bathroom and we certainly don't wipe down the grocery cart with Clorox wipes when we go to the supermarket. I'm a firm believer that kids need to be exposed to some germs in their lives or they will never build up any immunity therefore making them more susceptible to getting sick in the future. We really have never really dealt with any sicknesses beyond the common cold and or flu and I like to think that's because we don't over-sterilize Noah and Grace and everything that they touch. Now, will I let them pick up a cookie off the floor of a bathroom and eat it? HELL no. But if we drop something at home we definitely follow the 5 second rule.
I am the of mom who is fun and creative. I wish I could make half of the crafts that I have pinned on Pinterest. I have good intentions but when it actually comes down to executing these ideas, I fail, miserably. Sure we've tried a few things here and there but definitely not as many as I'd like. When we do sit down and attempt something it's usually fun and the kids love it but I do admit mini panic attacks occur when sand, paper, glue and glitter are used EEEK!
I am not the mom who doesn't allow my kids to sit in front of a TV to get some things done around the house. As a matter of fact some days the kids and I stay in our PJ's and watch TV and play all day! SUE ME! And yes I do bring an IPAD to dinner so my kid will stay calm and quiet and Daniel and I can actually have an adult conversation. Word to the wise...BUY AN IPAD. Its worth the investement and your sanity! Just sayin!
So, yeah, that's me, in a nutshell. I'm not perfect and I certainly hope it doesn't come off that way when you read this blog or see my pictures on Instagram. I do the best that I can and hope that in the end my family always knows I love them and is happy. I'm not perfect but I am a work in progress.
