Don't Carpe Diem

To my fellow mommies and the others who read this blog, please take a few moments from your day to read this article Don't Carpe Diem.

I feel that there is so much pressure placed upon moms, from other moms, to enjoy EVERY.SINGLE.MOMENT of your child.And while I subscribe to the belief of enjoying life even when you are being dealt a difficult hand at the moment, I think as a society we need to remember what it was life to raise a toddler, who is teething and throwing fits at every little thing, who you cannot have a conversation with to understand more clearly what the problem is. It is HARD and EXHAUSTING work! And as parents we judge ourselves for getting frustrated or mad over that situation. I am not saying that people who say 'enjoy every moment, it goes by so fast' is judging that mother who is frazzled in the store with the toddler destroying things and throwing a massive fit. I am saying that those comments lead to the mother judging herself and her feelings. She knows that one day her baby will be grown and will not need her and it breaks her heart. She knows that in the future she will look fondly back at this time in her and her children's life and miss it. She may even wished she hand enjoyed her kids more. And when the time comes that she gets frustrating or tired with her toddler she will beat herself up for hours upon hours for breaking down and having a weak moment. For getting frustrated at an innocent being that has no other way to communicate with us.

If you think about it, mommy guilt is everywhere. Most of the time people do not even realize that they are doing it. If you work people say things like 'don't you miss your child/children?' or 'how does it make you feel that someone else is raising your child?'. Okay, come on people use your heads please. Of course working moms miss their kids while they are away. And really, do you feel like your 1st grade teacher raised you? Um, no. It can just be as bad for the mom who stays at home. Comments like 'your kid will not be socalized' or 'they only know you' or even things to the effect that they will not have the intelligence that others might. I am fairly certain that staying at home with your parent and going to play dates never harmed anyone!

I guess that turned into my own little rant, sorry! However, moms out there it is okay to not LOVE every day and every moment with your child. It is hard work and it is work that never gets a raise or praise. Look at your time in the big stuff. Remember what matters and try to find something funny in the hard moments!

Thank you Glennon Melton for saying exactly how I feel (and I am sure millions of other parents do too)!