We write our own “mom stories”

Writing my mom story

As most of my readers know, staying at home is a new experience for me. I’ve always worked many long and hard hours outside the home, and am quickly learning that my hours inside the home exhaust me even more.

I have met and become friends over the years with so many amazing moms. Some work full or part time outside the home in addition to their home time, and some work full time within the home. This post is to glorify what each of my mom friends do no matter what their title is.

There are many moms I know who I look at, and think – how do they work full time outside the home, and still do all they do with the kids. They work a 40 hour work week or more, and still make it to the sporting events, carting to practices, finding those great store sales, looking amazing, doing crafts and fun activities with the kids and I have often thought to myself there would be no way I could do all that if I were working full time at another job.

There are amazing home maker moms that I know who I look at and think – I’ll never be able to do what they do and succeed, especially without losing my patience or my mental capacity. Their kids are in the honor classes, they make crafts, keep impeccable homes, volunteer, hold parties and events for their entire neighborhoods, their kids are in sporting events all over, not to mention they still find time to exercise, look amazing, and make dinner or a thousand baked goods. Even if you only find time to do one or a couple of these things you are AMAZING to me.

I’ve gotten such great advice from so many great moms since I became pregnant with the boy back in December 2008. Since quitting work I’ve relied on this advice even more. I have been so blessed with great neighbors and friends, who have let me tag along at the bus stop, headed on walks, whose kids play with the boy and help him with kid interaction and provide me with much needed adult interaction.

Just a week after my last day at The Vimarc Group, I headed to take the boy to the dr. and they needed me to fill out an update form. Next to mother and occupation – I actually struggled with what to write. Did I write “household engineer”, or “stay at home mom”? (To be honest I’m not completely sure what I put on the form.)

Around that same time I heard a radio show on a local Christian radio station. The woman on the radio said, “We write our own mom stories.” And since hearing it, I’ve played it over and over again in my head. WE WRITE OUR OWN MOM STORIES.

We don’t have to compare ourselves to our friends, or our family members or what they do as mothers. We do what is best for our families. There is no reason to feel inadequate with what we do each moment or by trying to live up to what we think everyone else is doing.

That said after reading a glowing e-mail from a great mom friend, I felt inadequate as I thought to myself – how does she do it all? I headed upstairs to change a diaper as the boy bit my shoulder. Then I went to change him and he bit my side. I think I was almost in tears wondering if I am doing what I should be.

Then I remembered. We write our own mom stories. That’s right. We write our own mom stories.

There is no reason to feel inadequate when there are toys on the floor when someone drops in, or dishes in the sink because you’ve been playing with your child instead of cleaning up. Or if you make something for dinner that no one likes – even you. Or if there is a pile of laundry waiting around the corner.

If you work full time outside the home or inside the home – your mom story is yours. You’re an amazing mom regardless of how your mom story is written just by being you.

And like I’m telling myself…stop trying to live up to what everyone else does or doesn’t do, and get out there and WRITE YOUR OWN MOM STORY!!