Social media has twisted the expectation of the modern mother. Pinterest has some of the most creative and wonderful ideas I’ve ever seen, but if you get lost in the scroll, you can fool yourself into believing that your kids need an ultra crafty DIY mom when in reality all they need is you. Just as you are. Messy bun and spit up t shirts and everything. And Instagram influencers? Well, they showcase curated snapshots of their lives with perfectly constructed color schemes, discount codes, and shopping sprees. I’m sure they’re great people, but for me, I find it harder to connect to them because their lives seem so different than mine. And, it used to serve as a reminder that I wasn’t striving for enough, but really I already was. Never before has it been so easy to judge and compare each other on raising children, and never before have those comparisons made us feel so inadequate and lost.
What I know for sure is that you can only ever do your best. Children are the ultimate mirrors in life, so if anything, that’s how you edit yourself. But, I’ll disclaim that even though that may be true, it’ll only take you only so far. Why? Because kids are wild things. No matter how many times you coach them into doing something, they’re going to do what they want. We guide and love them, but sometimes they’re stubborn.
Jade is the most friendly person I’ve ever met, ever. She will say hi to anyone and everyone. Some folks think its totally adorable. But every now and then, there’s one person who casually tells me that’s a trait I need to be mindful about; they say it’s dangerous. Sure, I can see what they mean by that. But it’s also the thing I love most about her. And with my guidance and love, she will know the difference. That’s me doing my best by choosing my battles. If there is one takeaway from this post, please let it be that.
Choose your battles.
That goes for anything in life, not just motherhood. Not every thing is worth fighting about. The sooner you implement that belief system, I promise you it’s going to get at least 10% better every time. Before you know it, you’ll feel so much more at ease.
Until next time friends
xx
Alicia Charlene 