Today I was sent a link to a sweet lady's website. On there she talked about being a mom and how the older women are always telling her to enjoy this time because it passes so quickly. Well to make a long story short she talked about enjoying moments. This is something I have struggled with as I feel like I, too, should be deliriously happy every waking moment with my kids. After reading the post I was thinking about things as I dropped my daughter off to school and I decided, "Well heck! I can try this whole blogging thing too! Who knows, maybe my blog will speak to some other person." So bam, here I am.

I love being a mom. I feel that's an important thing to put out there first so people don't get confused. There are just times where I don't like it. There are days where I seriously consider putting my kids out on the corner with "FREE KIDS!!!" signs hanging around their necks. There are days where I want to lock myself in the bathroom, but don't dare to because my kids have a knack of getting into things that tend to make messes. I can imagine coming out of the bathroom just to find crayons all over the wall, baking soda all over the floor, clothes pulled out of drawers and flung everywhere and poopy kids running around half naked with a trail behind them. I can imagine because I've come out to all of this at some time or another. It's enough to take a perfectly sane woman and break her brain. 

Despite all this, I have felt an overwhelming guilt that I must LOVE every minute of every day with my sweet angels. When I don't meet that goal, I feel like I'm not a good mother. Then I feel bad about the way I reacted to things, etc.. and it just goes down from there. The next thing I know, I'm crying because I've failed as a mother and human being. Where, oh where, did I go wrong? The answer is, nowhere really. I'm human and normal(ish). My kids are human and normal. So why do I allow the normal things to define myself as being a bad mom/person overall? 

Have you noticed the amount of books on parenting, motherhood, etc..? What about the experts that tell you what you need to be doing to ensure you raise your child correctly? I have. I've listened to them and I've read some of them. They make it sound so easy and wonderful and I have this determination to be the all loving, never angry mom. Then I put it into practice with my kids. 10 minutes later everything explodes. Ok, not really but you get my point. It's so much harder to put into practice than you realize and, let's be honest, there's no guarantee this technique is right for your child/children. So here is what I've learned from the book of "Sadie's do's and don'ts"

1)Realize your kids are each unique and you'll have to find different ways to handle the same situation with each of them. It will take time and patience, but when you find what works it's a wonderful thing!

2)Don't hold them to the standards of others. Apart of them being unique is them progressing at their levels. It's really ok if another child is farther ahead of yours. There will always be others out there that will tell you what your child should or shouldn't be doing. Don't let yourself think that others know what's best for your child better than you do. No one knows a child like their mother. 

3)Cherish those moments when you are reminded how much you love them and how amazing they really are. There are days where I'm ready to transform into she-hulk when my little ones say or do something so sweet, my heart melts instantly. It's those moments that remind me why I love being a mom and why I do what I do. 

4)Take time out for yourself. This is a hard one for me because I know my hubby works so hard and when I leave the kids with him I feel like I'm making him work harder and longer. IT'S OK. Hubby needs to know what it's like to take care of the kids for a little while. Trust me, it won't kill him. In fact it seems to help give him a much clearer idea of what you experience daily and he grows in his admiration for you.

Ok I think I'll leave off here. I feel like this is a lot for my first blog in a LONG while. Plus I'm curious on feedback on whether people find this helpful, humorous, or are calling Family Services on me.