My Mom Blog

Before I become a mom, I had a pretty solid idea of the kind of mother I was going to be.

I had opinions. Okay, okay.. I had a lot of opinions. I looked at other parents and thought “Oh, I’m definitely not going to do that.”

Then, I had a baby and motherhood has a funny way of humbling you..

Heree are some things I swore I would never do as a mom:

*I will not make different things for my child for dinner. He will eat what we are eating

I imagined myself making wholesome, well-balanced meals every night. Vegetables, protein, fats. The whole thing. Now? If my toddler will even nibble a vegetable, then I’m counting it as a win.

There are nights when dinner is less family meal and more “What will you eat without throwing it?” And honestly, I’m learning that fed is fed.

*Bribe my child

I told myself I would never bribe my child. There would be no tantrums. I would calmly explain things. I would use positive parenting. My child would understand reason. Ha.

Sometimes, you have to get a toddler in a car seat. Sometimes, you have a flight full of people and toddler who just wants to run around. Sometimes, you are eating dinner at a nice restaurant and a toddler who wants to throw his plate across the floor.

And..sometimes a snack is simply a very effective negotiation tool.

*Give my child my phone

I would scoff and shake my head at parents whose child was watching their phone at dinner.

Then, I became a mom.

Now, do I want my child staring at a screen all day? Absolutely not.

But.. have there have been occasions where I’m like 5 minutes of a show won’t hurt? Maybe.

Have I ever used it during a desperate moment in public?

I’m just saying never say never.

*Buy too many toys

I thought I would be the mom who carefully chose a few meaningful toys. I especially thought it would be all wooden, no plastic, no bright lights or noise.

Then when my son discovered toys, our house suddenly started looking like a children’s museum.

The funny thing, is after all that money and all these toys, his favorite things aren’t even the toys at all.

It’s the tubberware.

It’s the spatulas or whisks

It’s the mixing bowls

It’s the measuring cups

Something I’m actively trying to keep him away from- ex. the trash can lid.

*Let the house get messy

Before I had kids, I liked things clean

I still do, don’t get me wrong here.

But motherhood has taught me that sometimes it just has to wait. There are books everywhere, there are toys everywhere, there are shoes everywhere. Man, there are even strawberry juice drippings all over the kitchen floor from today’s snack.

The mess can wait. These moments can’t.

*Think I’d have everything figured out

I thought I’d know exactly what to do.

Instead, motherhood has been one long lesson in figuring things out as I go.

What worked yesterday, probably won’t work today.

What I thought was important three months ago, might not matter at all now.

And there are many moments when I think, “Am I doing this right?”

I won’t ever have all the answers. But I’m starting to realize that’s okay. Motherhood isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up and being the best mom that you can be. It’s about loving your child through the good days, the hard days. the messy days, and the days when you have no idea what you are doing.

The funniest part about all of this? The things I’d mentioned before that I swore I’d never do, aren’t really failures. They are reminders that motherhood is humbling. That sometimes you have to let go of the picture you had painted in your head and embrace the life right infront of you.

So, here’s to all the things that we swore we would never do because somethings the mom you thought you would be isn’t the mom that you become. What did you swear you’d never do as a mom that you totally do now?