Motherhood means early morning wake-up calls, packing lunch-boxes, organizing extracurricular schedules, daycare and school drops and pick-ups, and making sure there are clean clothes and (more importantly) clean underwear and socks. Oh, and how could we forget clean teeth, bedtimes and more. Not to mention the work that keeps your home organized and running and the kind of work that brings the bread home.
This is what days look like for most mothers. Barely a second to catch a breath. On most days we get so caught up in the day-to-day work of motherhood, that it is hard to gauge whether we actually enjoy what we do. The thing is that, since being a mother is not technically a job, it is hard to actually quantify whether you like what you do or whether you are just going through the motions of parenthood.
So, here is something that I put together based on my experiences with my kids.
You Let Things Go
Even though you once prided yourself on being in control of every aspect of your life, you realize that you cannot control every variable once you add kids to the equation. And so, you don’t sweat the small stuff. There will be spilt milk, stained clothes, broken toys and meltdowns. But you take a deep breath and you let things go.
You Laugh A Lot
Letting go of things means that you have a pretty positive attitude when it comes to things you cannot change. And this translates to smiling and laughing in the face of negativity.
And so, you giggle at your kids being naughty. You chuckle at their jokes. You let out loud and happy belly laughs while they run about being ridiculous and silly. And you even stifle grins while trying to be stern. You also giggle to yourself as you remember the chocolate stash that will make you feel better as soon as you put your kid to bed. (Mommy’s got to have her secret stash.)
You Make Time For Yourself
You know you work hard bringing them up and you know you need some me-time to regroup and reorganize. You don’t fault yourself for it. You keep the guilt away when you take a few minutes to enjoy your coffee or when you head out for a girl’s night out. A happy mom has happy kids.
You Like Watching Them
You know you do. As they sleep. As they play by their self, with friends or siblings. As they engage in quiet play. As they eat. This kind of stalker-like behaviour shows that you enjoy being a mother. Trust me on this one.
You Don't Mind Keeping Electronics Away
You keep the distractions at bay when it comes to your kids. You know that the red notification from your uncle on how he hates that lady who is standing for elections can wait, but your four-year-old’s story about the dead spidter or the car that looked just like the one she used to have, cannot.
You prefer living in the real world with these ephemeral moments of bliss than in a virtual world as a fly on the walls of other people’s lives. Though you do indulge in that too when #momlife gets a bit too overwhelming.
Yes, the house is quiet when they are not around. You get the luxury of being able to finish tasks in minutes as opposed to hours when they are slowing you down with their constant calls of ‘Mom. Mom. Mommmyy.’
But sometimes it feels too quiet, deafeningly so. You probably will get to finish your cup of coffee in peace, but you find your ears straining to hear their voices in the background. You love hanging out with them. And even a walk in the park or an unscheduled visit to the ice cream shop is fun when they are around.
You Enjoy Smelling Your Kid's Hair
Admit it, you have been taking whiffs of your child’s hair right from the time you got him or her in your arms. And you still do it, despite your baby having reached the sweaty stage. There is something about the napes of their necks and the smell of their hair that makes you feel like all is well with the world and yet also like a lioness protecting her cub, all at once.
You Love Cuddling To Watch The Same Movie Over Again
You can watch the same cartoon animals saying and doing the same things again and again as long as you can cuddle up and watch them with your kid. The way they laugh at the jokes they have heard a million times and the way they move a little closer when the villain makes an appearance is what makes it worthwhile and keeps the boredom at bay.
You Love Introducing Them To Books YouLoved
From Roald Dahl and J.K Rowling to new books by new authors, you enjoy rediscovering your childhood favourites with your kids and gaining access to new ones through their eyes.
You're Thankful For Motherhood Despite Its Challenges
Despite the sleepless nights and the butt wiping, you know that the fact that you chose to be a mom and that life was kind enough to grant you your choice, makes you happy to be one. It is a responsibility to raise decent human beings and being proud of that responsibility shows that you enjoy being a mom.
I’m hoping that you found at least a couple that you can relate to. And even if you did not, I’m sure that on those days that you actually get to sit down and reflect, you will find yourself returning to those moments with your kids that made you smile or laugh out loud and even just feel like there is nowhere else that you want to be at this exact moment. Moments that prove that you do not need a blog like this one to know that you do truly enjoy being a mother.