Life has been incredible hectic lately. Teaching in the Spring is an exhausting feat, and coming home to have just enough time for dinner, tubs, and bed before I crash is becoming the norm. All of that being said, I still wouldn’t trade a second of this life as “Mom” for anything.
In no way is my current life glamorous; it’s far from it! My house is on a revolving schedule of cleanliness. The toy room is cleaned but the bedrooms are a mess, then the bedrooms are clean but the toy room *and* the family room are messy, and so on. My wardrobe lately consists of leggings and hoodies when I’m not at work, and I only splurge on clothes as a necessity. Like buying bike shorts…not for biking or because they are “trendy”, but so my thighs don’t rub together as I walk through Disney World.
My family eats at home every night, even the occasional special outing to Chik-fil-A is a stretch for us. These consistent meals at home are some of my favorite moments. Homemade family dinners are a sacred time for us, and there’s nothing I love more than spending hours in the kitchen cooking and preparing a big meal for my family, then enjoying conversation as a family while eating.
This time is tough, don’t get me wrong, and yes, I snap often at my children when I’m at my breaking point. The load of being a good teacher, employee, and the load of being a good mom is heavier than anyone can imagine. It’s very real and I think more people need to understand that. I have seen different versions of moms- the social media mom, who posts everything glamorous and makes it seem like she is super mom; the non-social media-but-will-talk-your-ear-off-about-all-the-plans-we-have mom who always seems to have extravagant trips and glamorous experiences to offer; and the in-the-middle-mom, the mom who posts occasionally, but also does things off screen that enriches her family’s lives. The important thing here is that we all know a different version of “Mom”, and not one of them is wrong.
As moms we are all doing what works for our family and what makes us happy. Would I love to take my kids abroad or to fancy beach trips regularly? Absolutely. But I also understand the bigger picture that my kids will have just as enriching experiences having family bonding time at family game night, or snuggling up close for pizza and movie night.
This is the sweet life. You are allowed to be messy, have a disorganized house, not own the trendiest clothing. Too many moms compare themselves to others and too many moms judge each other’s decisions. Let’s make a point to just be happy. In the end, a happy mom is the best one! Go do whatever it is that makes you happy!
