Hello all. Having small (or older!) children is tough. Every day is another mountain to climb, whether you're pregnant or have 20 kids, and all in between. I never knew how hard it would be until I became a mother, but it is. It's super hard. It comes very naturally, but it's definitely comparable to boot camp in that it tires you out, tries you physically, emotionally, and mentally, and yet it builds you up and makes you stronger and more confident than you ever were before(i'm just assuming here).
Now I don't know if you all feel this way too, but I often feel alienated as a stay at home mom. I mean, I know a lot of other stay at home moms, but it seems like it's the cultural norm to not really show just how worn out and stressed we are. Think about it. After a rough morning when you've cleaned up three messes in one hour, been spit up on, been bitten at least once (by a well intention-ed teething baby or otherwise), and dealt with at least one fit, when someone asks how you are, what do you normally say? Most of us say, "fine," "pretty good, or the slightly more honest, "tired." And I definitely feel a connection to other stay at home moms (and other parents of small children, period). However, I'm probably not the only one who has small children who feels this way- that every day is a challenge that i'm exhausted at the end (or by the middle, or even at the beginning) of. We all LOVE our children, of course. They are immense blessings, and they're lovely, sweet, beautiful, clever, adorable, and we wouldn't trade them for a single thing. I know this as well as you all do. But that doesn't mean we don't struggle trying to be the best we can be for them, and it certainly doesn't mean that the guilt from not being perfect doesn't come back to bite us in the butt. I cab't be the only one.
So, in saying all of this, I really think if we all share a bit more with each other, it will be helpful and healing. So here's my idea. By the end of this month, I am going to take one day and write about all the stuff that happens, good or bad, that is my life that day. It's not going to be excessively detailed, just a summary of what a day in my life is like. I challenge any parent of a small child (or even an older child, if you like) to choose one day out of your life ( by the end of April and write about it. Show the other parents we're not alone. "Bear one another's burdens." Help lonely moms/dads realize that they're SUPER parents just for trying, because we all try, and we all feel like we fail, but maybe if we share more with each other, we might just have an easier time making it through it all.
