"MOM...", "MMMOOOOMMM...", "STOP IT...", "THAT'S MINE...", "I'M TELLING...", "STOP LOOKING AT ME...", "IT'S NOT MY FAULT..."
It doesn't matter if I'm on the toilet, in the shower, hiding in my closet, or outside these are some of the phrases that follow me daily. They taunt me, they overwhelm me, they exhaust me, and lets be honest...They even make me angry at times.
I know I am not the only Mom who gets extremely overwhelmed by all these little kids running around daily needing me for each and every thing. Yelling at the top of their lungs when any little thing doesn't go their way.
Being in a household with a 5, 6, 7 and 11 year can be rough. The attention and demands that each require are so different and trying to meet those daily is nearly impossible. Most days it leads me to being a very blessed, but messy Momma.
By Friday, of just about every week I often find myself telling my husband and others, "I'm over my children." I don't want to attend the million ballgames that my kids will be playing in, I don't want to ride in the car with them to again hear all their favorite phrases, and I don't want to hear the word "MOM" one more time.
Anyone here with me?? I mean sure, we really do truly love our kids, but let's face it most days they are not pleasant to be around. No matter how hard we try or how hard we work to make them happy it just doesn't seem to come together in the way we envisioned.
Daily I am with a child at least 20hours of the my day. Trying to get the house cleaned, groceries bought, paying bills, trying to find time to myself..(Haha), etc. My list is never ending, but neither is the list of the child I have attached to me.
For the past 11 years I have had children with me constant. I might get a glimpse of light while someone is in preschool for a few hours, but very rarely does that full day away from it all happen.
These are hard things to admit and our "Mom Guilt" settles and we feel that needing that time makes us a bad Mom. God says He never gives us more than we can handle, so how come we aren't handling this? How come that mom we say daily smiling with her kids handles it better? I want to be happy like that. I want to enjoy my time with my family like that.
So then we do what we see most Mom's doing...Counting the days down until summer!!!!! YAY!! Summer vacation!!! Home with our wonderful, perfect, never fighting children daily!!! It's going to be wonderful, right??
NOOOO, 2 weeks in, the glamour of summer vacation is over. The phrases again are flowing freely out of our precious ones mouths and just to get through the day with them can be pressing. If only we could get that time again. How? How do we get that?
Let me tell you fellow Mom, it comes! Yes, that's right, the day they are ALL finally school age!!! And what comes first??? SUMMER SCHOOL!!!!!! Yes, I LOVE it!! This sounds perfect! Sign them all up, I say!
Summer School has started and the first week is just being completed and let me tell you what this has done for me this week. It has refreshed me and renewed me. Picking that 5, 6, and 7 year old up from school is a JOY! I love hearing about their new friends, teachers, and the activities they are doing daily. I can't wait to see those smiles and hug those necks. I enjoy the evening with them at their ballgames or just at home playing. And even better...It's FRIDAY and I am NOT over my children!! I can't wait to play with them this weekend, spend time together as a family, and watch all the ballgames they have, because sadly that doesn't happen much anymore.
The daily demands of a Mom is draining and leaves us dry for the weekend activities. We are always relying on others to help us get kids to and from school, games, activities, etc that we have lost control of our children, our home and our marriage. It's a bad feeling.
This week God has opened my eyes, as I am finding more and more time to spend with Him and seeking all the positive things out in our lives, I am slowly finding that Joy again with my children and with my husband. We need people, but we need GOD first, our spouse second, and then our children. Once we can finally figure out how to put those things in order and fully rely on our household to get things done it starts coming together. For 11 years someone has ALWAYS helped us. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but now is the time we find our family again. This was the first week in 11 years I was able to pick up kids each and every day and fully enjoy those moments with them. Not only that I felt they were fully enjoying them with me as well. My husband and I are starting to become a team again getting everyone where they have to go and it's the most amazing feeling ever!
Sure we don't want to wish our years away at home with our kids, but as a stay at home mom sadly that happens. Having these Summer School days to refocus has truly been a blessing to this stay at home Mom, but the biggest blessing is seeing God working again in our marriage and in our home. Trying to get our kids on the same page as our marriage and working together as a team.
I encourage you to find these positive moments in your life daily. Communicate with your spouse and your children. It's never easy, but once we start that it slowly comes together. Put the Mom guilt beside you and know we have to have our time to regain ourselves again! We are the parents, so cherish each and every moment you have together and never give up!
