Dear Perfect Mom...


I see beautiful pictures of smiling moms and cute kids on the internet and automatically jump to conclusions. The most common being: Now that mom has it all together. Look at her, she is even wearing makeup. I bet she does it every morning - and her hair, too.

I bet she doesn't let her kids watch t.v. so she can catch a few extra minutes of sleep. And she definitely doesn't feed them sugar cereal for breakfast. 

I bet she has nice, structured days filled with appropriate developmental learning opportunities. She never yells at her kids or rolls her eyes - never...
 
And so on....

It usually ends with me feeling awful about myself and wondering what my deal is. I know that most of what I see on the internet is people's "good side," but I still feel like I'm a little more behind than I should be.

I was trying to figure out what my problem was the other day when lightening struck - I have TWO boys under the age of three. WHOA! Shouldn't I give myself a break? Geez!



Its hard waking up multiple times a night for nightmares, potty breaks, etc.. and then start the day at 6:30-7a.m.

It is surprisingly tiring playing superheroes and cars all day long. Especially when one brother always wants the others toys and the other brother won't share. And then somebody starts throwing toys or pushing the other around.

I crave alone time after talking and explaining and talking all day to my curious three-year-old. And then feel awful when I have to say "No, I can't play right now" or I'm going to chuck Iron man out the window (that last part I say in my head).

Then there is the never-ending messes to clean up. Somebody spilled their cup. The diaper leaked, or somebody didn't quite make it to the toilet.  The couch got used as a kleenex again...There's always a million dishes and sky-high pile of laundry. I step on hot wheels and Legos crossing every room.

This list could go on for a while, but in the end it comes down to the same thought for me - If I had a choice, I'd still take this. It won't last forever and there are a lot more good things in my day than I realize. Like today when Lucas shut the refrigerator door when I asked him to - woo hoo! Way to go following directions, Lukey! And then later today when Soren, in a very serious voice, explained the plot to Rescue Bots to me. So cute!


Yes, I can always be better and more __(fill in the blank)___, but I'll never be perfect. And that's okay because my children love me and I try my best (then pray really hard for the rest).


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Comments

Bree said…
That was such a sweet post, Meliss! It's so nice to hear other moms going through the same thing...it's so hard not to compare ourselves, but as long as we're doing our best (even when our best doesn't seem good enough) it is enough! At least that's what I tell myself... ;) And our children love US not that "perfect" mom we're reading about online. Love your family pictures-you look beautiful! Miss you!!
12:11 PM
Meg said…
I think we all need to have those perfect-seeming smiley pictures so that we moms can put them up in our houses and look at them with hope when we're surrounded by toys, laundry, bodily fluids, and who knows what else. They remind us of what you said, that the chaotic moments (that sometimes last for days at a time) are okay because motherhood is really the best (albeit hardest), most rewarding thing ever. :) Love ya!
3:40 PM
Paul and Susan said…
Wonderful pictures! I like the positive perspective you put on things, instead of letting the "Perfect Mom Syndrome" get you down. I think you are an awesome mother with all the little projects you do with your kids and read to them and play with them and take them places, and teach them the gospel. Way to go Melissa!
2:42 PM
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