I'm Not Perfect...I'm a Mom!

I had no idea what type of mom I would be, but I did assume that patience would be one of my strongest assets since I’ve always been a fairly patient, low-key person.

Ha!

Becoming a mother not only exposed me to the most powerful and enduring love I will ever experience in my lifetime…but it also made me feel inadequate, inexperienced, insecure and at times, like a total nut job!!!

Seriously!

How the heck was I going to do this mom thing? Which hospital staff in their right mind would send a baby home with me? I had absolutely no idea what I was doing!

I felt completely alone and at a loss sometimes. Even though I had so much love and support around me; I felt as if I should know everything and be able to do everything on my own…and do it well.

But no matter how much of a ‘super mom’ you are or strive to be (and I just happened to leave my super hero cape at the cleaners…), you are not perfect and you will make mistakes. Here’s the crazy part…

It’s okay!

You don’t have to be perfect!

So, you might burn the dinner one night because you were busy tending to a ‘boo-boo’ or trying to stop your kids from strangling each other. Just call it a BBQ and enjoy.

You might forget that today is PYJAMA DAY at the daycare and have to spend the next 10 minutes consoling a very distraught toddler while still trying to make it to work before lunchtime! You were on time yesterday…almost!

You could be sewing a costume at 11pm because you forgot that your child’s first play is tomorrow!!! Sleep is overrated anyway.

There may even come a time when you break down into a sobbing mass of frustration at the tantrum your preschooler just had in the middle of the grocery store…sigh.

Let’s face it…you may have more than one of those break downs. But Mommy’s have tantrums too, you know. (Please tell me that’s not just me?!)

Between caring for our kids, our partners and possibly our parents; we will get some things wrong. We’ll get tired, fed up, frustrated and grumpy. Did I mention emotional?

That’s called Motherhood!

I am learning that my kids accept me with all of my imperfections. I've learned to acknowledge my mistakes. Mind you, my girls are kind enough to point them out to me.

Over and over and over….

There’s nothing like a 3 year old telling you that you have a ‘really, really bad memory’ or your 7 year old that rolls her eyes because you can’t remember where you left your keys.

But I do remember to tend to the scrapes and bruises; hug away the tears and nightmares; soothe hurt feelings and celebrate all of their accomplishments and at the end of the day, when my kids are happy to see me; when I get hugs and kisses and ‘I love you Mommy’, I know that I’m doing something right.

So when you’re having a rough day and things may not be going well; stop trying to be perfect and give yourself a break.

You’re better than perfect…YOU’RE A MOM.