Finding the FUN in Motherhood

I think sometimes we forget that being a mom can and should be FUN. Why is that?

Is it because of never-ending dishes in the sink, piles of laundry, or a floor that never stays clean (my personal pet peeve)? Yup, I think those are definite reasons.

But I think there’s more to it than that.

I think we often live in a “what’s in it for me?” kind of world. We aren’t given a weekly paycheck to be a mom. We aren’t given a lot of recognition. Mother’s Day is once a year, so there’s 364 other days in the year to feel cranky about the stinky socks your kids leave on the floor. So sometimes we feel our job is not worth the effort. When we feel our role has no value, then it wipes the FUN right out of our job.

Time to bring the FUN back into motherhood! Here’s some ideas:

Give yourself credit. Whenever I have to write down my occupation on a form of some kind, I feel like the world thinks I should write “just a mom” and I secretly wish I could put “Super Awesome Mom Sacrificing Her Time to Raise an Amazing Family”. The occupation as a mom is awesome! It’s a sacrifice, but it’s for an amazing purpose. Think of it in a positive way, no matter what others’ think. Give yourself a little credit for all the good things you do for your family each day.

Appreciate the simple things. Motherhood is no fun when you worry about being perfect and keeping up with the Joneses all the time. I learned a major thing after being hit by a car and being so close to death six years ago. When I thought about all the things I’d miss about my life if I had died that day, I realized I would have missed the simplest of things that I do with my children and my husband–braiding my daughter’s hair, helping my son build with his Legos, kissing my baby’s cheeks, and chatting with my husband into the late night hours. Basically, I would miss my life as a mommy and wife and the things I NEVER get paid for.

Remember your strength. It takes a strong person to be a mother. That’s what my mom told me 11 years ago when I sat in her living room holding my first newborn and crying as I tried to figure out my new role as a mother. It’s true, strength just sort of comes with the job. Don’t forget what you had to do to give birth in the first place! Use that strength and realize that you have the power to make your home a happy place. Think of ways to personally inspire and teach your children. You know them better than anyone and can creatively help them grow up to be great people.

Think like a kid. Every once in awhile, put yourself in your child’s shoes and think like a kid. Kids are always thinking of FUN! If you were a kid again, what would you want your mom to do with you? The answer would not be to work or pay bills. Those are necessary things, but sometimes we need to let go of the grown-up world for awhile and just play. Play dolls. Play house. Play pirates. Play Monopoly. Play tag.

Don’t waste your days wishing for greener pastures. Let yourself enjoy the life you’ve been given. “The grass is always greener where you water it,” they say. So turn on the hose and run through the sprinklers with your kids. Make family time worthwhile. Find peace with doing stuff for others that the world will never know about (yes, that includes cleaning up your child’s puke in the middle of the night), but it also includes teaching the generation who will change and lead the world someday. Your effort will make a difference.

Be proud to be mothers. Remember what matters most and enjoy the journey.