Things Don’t Have to be Perfect to be Great!

I can’t tell you how often I wonder if I’m getting it right as a Mom! I feel guilty for the things that distract me from my kids. If I check my email or phone, if I’m cleaning and not playing, if we have to go shopping for groceries instead of to the park that day because, well, we need food! It’s hard to balance life’s “to do’s” and also make sure the kids are getting the care and attention they need. I remember reading an article a few months back about a Mom who was done trying to make her kids life magical. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bunmi-laditan/im-done-making-my-kids-childhood-magical_b_5062838.html) Planning elaborate crafts and doing tons of “special things” doesn’t really make their little lives better! When I was growing up I don’t remember my parents planning many things for us to do, or trying to make crafting fun for us. I just remember playing and having fun! Some of my favorite memories include family dinners filled with laughter, playing or fighting with my siblings (both were enjoyable), and you’ll never guess one of my clearest, most vivid memories. I was helping my Mom dust the living room while we sang along to a Billy Joel album. I think of that memory a lot now as a Mom, because it wasn’t planned or meant to be special but it stands out. I can still hear my Moms voice and see her dancing and it just gives me comfort. So I just want to remind all you Mom’s out there. It’s not about the big or perfect things you do with your kids. It’s about the little stuff! It’s about the hugs and kisses. Saying I love you! It’s about the times of just being there and giving them the love and support they need. Let them create on their own with the craft supplies. If they become a total mess, who cares, they are enjoying it. Let them run around and play, and fight within reasons, because they will learn from it. Stop worrying about whether or not you’re doing it right and just love them and enjoy watching them as they grow. I can’t believe how quickly they grow….! Most of my favorite memories so far with my children aren’t the planned ones. They are the little moments like rocking my youngest to sleep and having her gaze into my eyes. Or when my son was interrupting me at the pediatrics office just to tell me “I love you,” and these pictures attached. These are some drawing my 5-year-old daughter makes; some from school and some at home. They melt my heart! I’ve heard that you can tell a lot from a child’s drawings and if that’s the case I think the hubs and I are doing okay!