Super Mom!

I have a dear friend that thinks I am a "Super Mom" like a super hero. Many days I feel less than super because there is always so much to do and so little time. Most 21st century mothers work out of the home and then after the paying job go to work in the home. Our culture expects the same home life for our children that we had as children. I can tell you that is unrealistic and it is a pressure and expectations too many moms put on themselves.
I recently talked with another dear friend about this very issue. She was feeling quite overwhelmed by her paying job-which for most people is enough to send them over the edge. This mom of three boys and a husband that has an ever changing work schedule is trying to juggle her paying job (career), children, home and the many things that go with children and a home. I hope the advice I gave her helped. She is experiencing the same feelings I experienced on a regular basis as a mom of three. Mine are older now so the pressure and expectations have shifted.
If you are a mother of young children, work in or out of the home and you are asking yourself, "Is this really all there is to my life?" -then read on.

1. Have hope because it gets better. It may not be until your children are in high school or college and able to drive, but it does get better.

2. Enjoy your children and DO NOT fret over the house not being perfect, clothes not folded and put away or every meal being a Martha Stewart recipe. Your children need you-not a fancy table with fancy meals (they probably won't even eat because it doesn't look like a Happy Meal), not an immaculately cleaned house, and certainly not a weeping mother that is so overwhelmed by the pressures she has placed on herself.

3. Laundry can be washed and set in a basket until you really have the time to fold and put away. If your children pick clothes out of the basket to wear, so what, they are dressed in clean clothes.

4. Well rounded children are important but all of your children do not have to do everything. Limit the extra curricular activities that your children are signed up for each season. One sport a year, one club (Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, RAs/GAs/Awanas), music lessons for one instrument or dance or karate. Provide your child options and use them to teach him how to make choices and that he can't have everything.

5. DO NOT beat yourself up if you feed your child cereal for dinner, occasionally. That's why multi-vitamins were created.

6. Make time for yourself. If you don't feed your body, mind and soul, you can't feed your spouse or child's.

7. Make time for your spouse. Have a date night, make him your priority and remind him that you still love him. I was guilty of putting the children well before my husband. Because we have a healthy marriage he communicated with me that he felt slighted, unnecessary and unimportant. Women need to be told and shown how much they are loved-guess what? So do men! Keep the love burning between you and your husband because your children will grow up, move out and have families of their own and you two will be left in the house alone to pick up where you began before you had your children.

8. PRAY every day for strength, guidance, wisdom, discernment and love. I have horrible memories of losing my temper with my children all because of an unspoken expectations I put on myself about what a mother should and should not be. So, pray to be discerning about your priorities, pray for strength when you don't know how you can get home, fix dinner and help study spelling, pray for love to flow out over your family even when they are not acting lovable or you are not feeling lovable and pray for God's guidance in the right way to raise your children.

9. Hang in there! Soon you will be taking your children to college or paying for a wedding or holding a grandchild wishing you could have your "baby"back. Time is fleeting so don't spend your time trying to be something that you think you should be-it's probably not the mom your kids want you to be.