If you are trying to be a perfect mom then this post is definitely not for you. Although I have been at this parenting thing for almost 20 years (did I just confess that I have 20 year old son??), have almost raised three teenage boys and am embarking on the teen years with my baby girl, you won’t find any parenting advice or great words of wisdom here. I apologize in advance.
Neither will you get simple, delicious, healthy recipes, Pinterest-worthy craft and décor ideas, or stunningly beautiful photographs of me with my children.
Sorry, you will have to read some other post for those things because today I want to reach out and speak directly to my people: the imperfect moms.
Yes, it is okay to admit it. It is time we step out of bathroom (because that is usually where you find us hiding), show the world our imperfections, and confess the truth.
I think I realized shortly after I had my first child that I was not going to be a perfect mom. I attended the parenting classes, religiously read all the books, and joined a support group of other wanna-be perfect moms. And when my son refused to follow the feeding and napping schedule as prescribed by all the experts, I was undone. My track record did not improve much after that either.
Being a mom is by far the toughest job I have ever had and one that I still have not mastered after 20 years and four kids. That is a lot of practice with a lot of kids…and I am still a work in progress.
I fail more often than I succeed, but am learning to embrace it all as part of the journey.
So I today I boldly and unashamedly admit that I am an imperfect mom.
There, I said it.
For everyone to see.
What a relief!
And this post is for all the other imperfect moms out there:
- To those moms who miss games, concerts and recitals (with good excuses or not!).
- To those who lose their ever-lovin’ minds when they see used cups, wet towels, and shoes scattered everywhere.
- To those who forget to turn in permission slips or bring in birthday treats.
- To those who strap a screaming baby in the car seat and drive and drive hoping he will fall asleep.
- To those who are late for carpool or miss it completely.
- To those who send sick kids to school or keep healthy ones home.
- To those who pack lame lunches because there is no food in the house (oreos & goldfish anyone?).
- To those who should go to the ER for stitches but use a Band-Aid instead.
- To those who look at school papers (and “ooh and ahh”) then secretly throw them away when your kids are not looking.
- To those who send kids out the door with mismatched socks, wrinkled clothes, and uncombed hair because fighting the battle is just not worth it.
- To those who never post pictures on Facebook because they forget to take pictures or bring a camera with a dead battery.
- To those who let the dog clean the kitchen floor instead of using the mop.
- To those who fall asleep while reading bedtime stories.
- To those who hide candy/chocolate/snacks/drinks so their kids cannot find it and they can have it all to themselves.
- To those who run upstairs and lock themselves in the bathroom and pretend not to hear everyone calling.
- To those who laugh when their kids fall down because sometimes it is simply hilarious.
- To those who go through the drive-thru one too many times for a quick meal and call it “eating out”.
- To those who hide the Xbox controllers (or any other toy/item that is driving them crazy) and claim ignorance.
- To those who buy something from a store and try to pass it off as ‘homemade’.
- To those who keep laundry in the dryer for days and keep pushing the ‘touch up’ button.
- And to those who wake up some mornings and feel like they cannot do it one more day…
If you can relate to any of these (whether you want to admit it to anyone else or not), you are not alone, sweet mama!
It is okay that you are not perfect no matter what Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram may tell you.
In fact, I believe you deserve honor and praise because you are the real deal.
Yes, you make mistakes, but you also:
Love unconditionally.
Show up every day.
Care with grace & humor.
No, you are not a perfect mom, but you are a GREAT MOM who does tons of awesome things every day for your kids.
Thankfully God does not demand perfection either. He just asks for obedience and faithfulness.
And that is really the essence of being a mom. You are not always going to get it right. Perfection is an unattainable goal.
Your real job is to just keep on keeping on…
‘So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us…’
Galatians 6:9-10 (The Message)
Do not be afraid to confess your imperfections today, but instead embrace them and know that God will take care of the rest.
