Every day this year, I wake up to the whispers of my kids conspiring on crafting the best card for mother’s day. Every day this year I get out of bed with a massive smile cause I’m looking forward to their whispers.
To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day! To those who are, those who were, and those who will be. Today’s blog post is dedicated to the last group.
Becoming a mother is an incredibly rewarding journey, but it’s also a lot of work. I won’t pretend it isn’t! From the second you find out you’re expecting to the day you hold your newborn in your arms, you will be faced with challenges and decisions that will change your life. While you may think you know what to expect, there are so many things you may not have considered before your little one came into this world. Here are the 5 things I wish I’d known before becoming a mother.
Every mother is different
It seems like everyone posts the same advice and has the same expectations. You may feel like you’ve read it all before, but there are endless details that go into being a parent. You may feel like you’ll never be able to do it all well enough, but don’t compare yourself to anyone else! The only person you can be better than is the person you were yesterday.
Don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed
You may be feeling overwhelmed with the idea of being a parent. You may feel like you’re not ready and will never be able to handle it. But, trust me, you will do just fine. You may feel this way for a day, a week, or even a year, but you’ll get through it. The feeling of ”I’m not doing enough” will pass, and you will be amazed at how well you do. You’re doing a fabulous job.
Being able to make decisions will only get easier with time
It’s true; you’ll get better at making decisions with time. And you’ll have the benefit of doing it while you’re still figuring out what you want. You may feel like you have no idea what to do and never get it right, but you will. You will make mistakes and learn from them. You will figure things out as you go along. I guarantee that you are doing a fantastic job and will get better with time.
Keep an open mind and be flexible
This is really important. You will have days when you just want to sit in bed and cry. You will have days when you feel like the world’s biggest failures. You will have days when you want to quit and throw in the towel. You will go through all of these things and more. So don’t try to be perfect. Instead, just try to be kind and patient with yourself.
It is okay to ask for help
A good way to get support for new parents is to join a local mom’s group. If you don’t see one in your area, why don’t you start one? There are many online forums as well. Find a way to connect with other parents and ask questions.
The happiest, healthiest, and most successful people I know are parents
Once you start the journey of being a parent, you will see that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising your children. Instead, there are hundreds of ways to parent and thousands of parenting styles. Remember that you don’t have to be perfect in everything, but you can do your best and be a good parent.
Have fun!
At the end of the day, being a parent is also fun. You are meant to enjoy being with your children, teach them valuable skills, and most of all, love them unconditionally. Focus on the good things that you can look forward to!
