Well, I have a confession.
I was a mean mom!
Yep, I was so high strung while my little darlin’s were growing up under my nose that I missed out on tons of COOL MOM moments.
Oh ya, I was on top of everything! Ask my kids. They’ll tell you, I was Johnny On the Spot with my mom’n. Nobody got by me with any shenanigans and if they did, it was h a n d l e d!
I regret it. So much.
I’ll be honest. I didn’t want to raise hooligans. So, I stayed on them to follow the rules and I pushed my mom agenda on them way more than was probably necessary.
Thank goodness, they all still love me and want to be around me.
I wasn’t horrible to them. But, I sure wish I had let loose on some of my issues.
Earlier today, I was in the check-out line at the grocery store behind a young mom with her 3 little doorstep punkins! The first one I saw was the toddler boy sitting in the basket seat. He lit up like a lightning bolt as soon as I looked at him. He smiled so big and waved so sweet that I couldn’t stop myself from joining him with my own joyous smiles. I spoke to him and asked him if he was helping mama shop. He answered back with a happy yes and then the big sister wiggled around the cart to see me. She ran over to my buggy and announced that she was there to “help” me with my things. Like a flash in my mom brain, I realized it was only a little while ago that I too, was dragging a gaggle of 3 all over Walmart trying to remember every single thing we were out of at home.
I wanted to cry.
Mama’s….those of you hauling around a pile of kids this summer, say YES! Say yes to all the fun you can. Even if it’s messy. Even if it forces you up off the couch or away from the computer (ESPECIALLY IF IT DOES THOSE THINGS). Get up, play….pretend. Watch all the “shows” your kids perform and sell you the paper tickets! Have over all the friends for play time or pool time. Throw a blanket on the lawn at night and gaze at the sky. Ride bikes all over creation. Take picnics. Live with messes all over the living room because your twerps are building forts. Set up a tent, sleep in it (or let them). Create memories. Do all the things. Do them.
But, don’t forget to make sure you teach your kids how to entertain themselves. You are not a cruise ship director! You are a mom. Every mom in this big fat whole wide world deserves to have kids that know how to play and have fun without an itinerary.
Say yes. But say no to being a slave to their happiness.
Now go….Be cool, Mama!
Tags: busy summer, have fun, moms, say yes