The struggle in my head. I’m a good mom, I did everything right today. I’m a bad mom I yelled at my kids, I got impatient, I just wanted to pack my bags and leave. There isn’t a mom alive who doesn’t relate in some form or another to this internal battlefield. I have been down that road to numerous to count. You think well once they are grown it will be different. I do agree it’s not like when they were small, yet I fight the urge to dip my toe into that pool of thought. Ugh…. I am learning to disregard those toxic thoughts that want to pull on the strings of my mind.
Just because your child has a temper tantrum in the middle of Wal-Mart does not make you a bad mom. Your child chose to behave this way, this is their free will in practice. Just like you have the free will to do something about it or ignore the behavior. Reacting will make it worse, in their little minds it relates to…. ummmm ok I threw a fit and mom got upset then she gave me what I wanted so I would be quiet. In the short term this might work but in the long term it helps them be selfish little people.
Back to bad vs good. Nope… don’t! Remember you are learning this mom thing as you go. Each step and each new day are a learning curve, even if you have more than one child, it’s still a learning curve, because each one is vastly different. What may work for one, does not work for the other. Don’t let fear be your guide, you really can’t mess them up too badly. You are there to guide them and as they mature into adults you step back and let them fly. This is probably the scariest, most rewarding part of having children. You give them roots and then you give them wings. Be a proud mama today and don’t ever think you are not qualified! Because you are more than qualified! Be proud and be prepared to have your socks blown off!