Hello everyone!
Just a quick note to say THANK YOU to everyone who commented and questioned, “where are your posts!?” You may have noticed an absence in my blog posts for the last month and I apologize. But, it does feel good to know that I am missed. Things have been a little crazy getting us into the swing of things at a new school, with a new routine and trying out new activities, and simply just finding our rhythm.
As many of you know already there are ebbs and flows to parenting. Sometimes we find ourselves riding the wave of having everything all put together and giving ourselves a pat on the back. Then there are times we get knocked over by that wave and feel like we are barely keeping our heads above water. And, that is OK! It is OK to not have it together sometimes!! There may be entire weeks (or months) where we see other parents all put together and we’re thinking, “man I just can’t compare.” Guess what?! It’s not our job to keep up with them! It’s our job to keep up with our kids. That is a completely full time job all by itself!
If you are one of the parents out there who, like me, gets lost in your parenting flow just know you are still doing great! If at the end of the day your children go to bed secure in the knowledge that you love them and they are happy and healthy, then dear parents, you have done your job! That in my book is a parenting win every single day you can make that happen! It doesn’t matter how perfect their birthday party is, or how clean your house is or that you have every piece of school paperwork signed and turned in ahead of schedule. What your kids will remember is how loved they felt as a child.
If you are one of the put together parents please share this message with someone who needs it. And, feel free to lend a helping hand, or offer a word of encouragement to a mom like me who is waiting to catch that next wave!!
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The Whatever Mom is a full time wife and twin mama living on coffee and wine. She enjoys the pure rush of cleaning the potty between loads of laundry. It is her dream that moms everywhere accept and embrace the Whatever Mom philosophy which can be found here.
Find more from Roxanne at Hudson Valley Parent and at Masshole Mommy
24 Comments on The Ebbs and Flows of Parenting- I’m Still Here!
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I’ve been there! Glad you are getting time for yourself to write again!
Is there such thing as a “put together” parent? haha I’m glad you are back and finding your rhythm!
I think you’re right… much like the fabled unicorn perhaps a “put together” parent doesn’t exist either!? 😉
I’m not a parent, but I’m an aunt. I know how hard parenting can be, and I admire you sharing your thoughts and experiences.
I was an auntie before a mommy… I had no idea how easy I had it. Enjoy every minute of it because that too goes by so quickly and you are suddenly watching them graduate high school and starting lives of their own!
Such a nice post as my daughter sits next to me, refusing to go to bed. She insists she HAS to watch the Packer game. She’s happy. That’s what matters in this moment, right?! I am so strict on schedules that to let it go for a day or night, feels kinda good.
I really feel like living happens between all those planned and structured moments. Enjoying some down time to just “be” is always great!
My kids are grown, married and have kids of their own now. They get so busy sometimes, I have to just pin them down to see how they are. I love spending time with the grands and I get lost in time and on my site because there isn’t time to do both when they are visiting :).
I think I am pretty much always on my butt from the wave. Good to know you are OK!
Glad to know I am not the only one!
we are all just doing the best we can. SOme days are awesome & we do everything right, the other days well we wonder how we get anything right with them but as long as we do our best & they are loved, the rest will fall in place.
Bless you parenting is difficult but I am glad that you took some time away to spend time with your little one and help them settle into school.
We missed you, but it’s totally understandable. Lots of ebbs and flows in our family. And surprises too. Not always pleasant ones. Today I was planning to get up super early and write a new post, but my baby woke up well before the alarm clock went off and now I have no post AND a cranky baby on my hands.
I’m sorry! I so know that feeling too!
Sometimes you have to put more time & energy into real life. Otherwise, there won’t be anything to blog about anymore! 😀
Brilliant advice!
Oh, definitely, it’s so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing! Glad you’re finding your balance again 🙂
I love your analogy of the sea and parenting! It is hard when moms start to compare themselves to others – there really is no good that can come of it. I think that on any given day – we are all just trying our best! Hang in there!
I miss those days (at times) love my children but they are grown now and I’m loving my freedom enjoy them they do grow fast.
This resonates for sure! I thought those days were over. I raised two daughters to 10 and 13…and things were becoming a breeze. The baby/toddler days were over and done and I was able to take naps, take some time out for myself, watch a TV show or two, put on some coffee or wine and read a book…
…and then I found out I was carrying baby #3! Yep, 10 years after the last one! 🙂 Oy vey.
Sometimes it’s hard. I think of the freedom I had just a little over a year ago, and now I have a 16 month old that has not slept through the night once. I feel like I’ve aged 10 years in just one. Zombies have nothing on this Mombie.
But then I think how blessed I am to have three healthy, funny, playful, beautiful kids and that’s what helps me each and every long day. Also, just before I found out I was preggo with my son I started feeling very sad that my girls were getting big. I pined for them to be little again, so I feel like I got another chance to revel in the baby/toddler/little kid years 🙂
This is a really long comment, so thanks for reading.
It all goes by so quickly!! My kids are only 5 and I keep thinking how are you 5 already?! I don’t want more kids- these two are enough for now. I am not so sure I’d survive another set of twins! lol
So true, we all have our ebbs and flows. I really thing we as parents need to be a bit kinder to one another and understand this is called life. : ) Glad you’re back!
Welcome back and all mothers take time to adjust!
This is a great post. Yes there is a flow in parenting. Sometimes it goes good and you feel together and other times not.