We’re getting ready to start the crazy schedule again.
1. Guilt – Will you make mistakes? Yes. Will you forget to do/pack/call/make things? Yes. Will you be late? Yes. Will you have responded in a way that wasn’t the best in the moment? Yes. All of that doesn’t define you now. None of it. Every day that your feet hit the ground in the morning is a new morning – a new moment – of starts. And if it tanks at 8:01 am you have 8:02 am to try again. Don’t hold onto guilt about what you would/could/should have been doing but rather be proud of you now.
2. Perfectionism – I don’t even think this applies to just school, but really to life in general. Perfectionism kills contentment. It kind of whittles away at the happy part of us that we’re working so hard to cultivate. I think honestly that’s why the Pinterest Fails posts always go so viral. It’s that bit of realness in life – like the fact that we all have crayons in the dryer moments or overflowing toilets or spilled milk or kids that fight or lost homework and all of it. The real part of motherhood and parenthood is, in some ways, the most beautiful part. Do your best. Don’t go for perfect, but rather your best.
3. Kids that Don’t Make Mistakes – Because kids make mistakes. They’re people. And no matter how awesome we are as parents – because aren’t we all awesome? – they still are individual people with individual minds who make choices. Our kids will mess up. They’ll forget homework or goof off in class or have days where they wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Our job is to not make them perfect, but to love them in the mess ups, to correct them and give expectations so that they grow to be adults. Those mess up things, as challenging as they are, do not define us as parents. What we do next matters most. And truthfully, it is good for our kids to fail and fall down because it’s the getting up that changes lives and builds character.
4. Trying to Do it All – because you can’t. Just because you could be on the PTA and the church Awana team and the Soccer coach and take that extra project doesn’t mean you should do that. We cannot burn out. And one of the easiest ways to burn out is to attempt to do it all. And that goes for kids too – I think they really need nights where it’s simply night at home and they can be kids. Even if it means chilling out playing Minecraft for a bit. So guard, as much as you can, that schedule and make sure you have blank days or hours scheduled in. And that you’re willing to do the things that sometimes make the day easier. Like pizza.
5. Always Being Right – even though you want to be. There are so many many many many times infinity many things in this world we could argue about or dig our heels in about but honestly sometimes we just need to let it go. Maybe we let them wear that favorite shirt again. So we have to pick our battles. Sometimes it’s okay to let them have that PBJ for dinner. Or for us to be willing to let them stay up ten extra minutes. Or for us to just let something go. It’s that control thing lessened.
6. Finishing the To-Do List – because it won’t get done. It’s a work in progress. Eventually the laundry will get done. You’re child will finish that history project (I know, it’s good for them even though it is so much work). You’ll get it done. I read an article about not making a to-do list but rather scheduling each day what needs to be done. That helps – so try that.
7. Negativity – there, I said it. But the truth is that happy parents and happy moms mean a greater chance of happy kids. If they hear us complaining about getting up early or the new teacher or the homework or all of that then chances are they, too, will complain. So try try try to be positive. And I know it’s hard as I’ve written (see at the end of the post for these articles) tons about the hard and challenging days of motherhood. But I’ve also made it a goal at the end of the day for everyone in our family to share one great thing from the day – and oftentimes I’ll write it on the chalkboard in my kitchen. Why? Because I want them (and myself) to see the good even in the midst of crazy.
Simple things.
Good luck as the next year of crazy begins.
~Rachel
oh yes here are those articles for the crazy days
The Motherhood Days We Should Talk About
10 Tips for the Days the To-Do List Drives You Crazy
5 comments
This is a great post, my oldest is starting Pre-K this year and these are some of the things I need to work on.
LOVE this! Each one of them is its own blogpost…LOL Thanks for sharing this…I’ll be including it in a Back-To-School round up post on our site this Friday!!
Have a great week!!
This is was so helpful!! My 2 & 3 year old just started preschool together for the first time 2 weeks ago and I just went back to work last week and several weeks off for summer. My husband will be away until January so I being schedule and plan oriented was feeling a bit anxious about just being the best mom I can be this school year- recognizing that part of that means accepting that everyday won’t go as planned and I must let some ideals go. Thx!
Thank you for your words of wisdom that truly reflects how you have been through the joys of motherhood and still are. It really made me stop and think especially about lettiing go of my strict controlling rules for my five teenage kids. Thank you, and Merry Christmas from Hawaii, Anna
Thank you for this reminder. Today, I needed this.