You already know it, but I’ll say it anyway: it’s really easy to be hard on ourselves as moms. No matter how well we’re doing, it’s like second nature to questions our decisions but there is something you’re doing right, right?!
Recently, I was talking to a fellow kindergarten-mom at a birthday party for my daughter’s classmate. We were chatting about sending kids to stay with local grandparents for a night when she said, “It’s hard to ask my in-laws to watch both of our kids overnight because bedtime is such a nightmare.” When she said that, I couldn’t relate because we have a simple, standard, drama-free bedtime routine for both kids. Is it possible? Is this something I’m (gasp) doing correctly?!
Fellow moms, it’s so easy to be hard on ourselves, but I guarantee you there are three things you. are. nailing. Below are the three things I’m consistently doing right as a mom.
1. Bedtime
Like I said, bedtime in our house is not a test of endurance.
Around 7 p.m., my five-year-old is sent upstairs to get her pajamas on while one parent gets our one-year-old a fresh diaper and pajamas. Pajama-time is followed by quiet play and book reading for the baby. We all say goodnight to Freddy (our lovable pre-toddler) who is taken upstairs for teeth-brushing a quick song and snuggle. Into the crib he goes, and into the crib he stays.
Cora-the-kindergartner gets to pick out one board game to play with Mom and Dad, then one story to read. After that, it’s the same as Freddy: hugs and kisses goodnight followed by teeth-brushing, a quick snuggle, one last kiss and a door that (almost always) stays closed until morning.
We’ve shown no tolerance for getting out of bed or trying to prolong the bedtime process, and it’s stuck!
2. Meals
I haven’t ever read that book on love languages, but is food one of them? If not, it absolutely should be.
Grocery shopping, preparing and cooking food are major ways I show my love to my family. I love buying my daughter special treats to tuck in her school lunches. And I crack a smile every time I buy two bunches of bananas at the grocery store for my son. With our schedules right now, we’re able to eat breakfast and dinner together at our kitchen table almost every day.
I know this will change as my children get older, so I relish it now. I take pride in giving them (mostly) nutritious breakfasts and home-cooked dinners. This isn’t to say we never get takeout or go out for dinner but most nights, you’ll find us at the table with freshly made food.
3. Laundry
This one came out of pure necessity.
My husband and I used to randomly put clothes in the washer, hopefully remember to put them in the dryer in a timely fashion, and almost never fold them. I would be digging through the dryer before work trying to find a wrinkle-free blouse for myself and a matching pair of socks for my daughter to wear to school. Have you ever scoured through a load of laundry looking for matching kid-sized socks? It could honestly be a form of torture.
After years of this, we implemented a routine: Sunday night laundry. We typically do three loads per week, with the first load going in the washer early on Sunday evening and the last load being folded around 10 that same night. This results in a somewhat tedious night, but guess what? Then it’s DONE. For the whole week!
No one runs out of socks or underwear. A load doesn’t get left in the washer overnight. All my work blouses are hung with care in the closet. It’s also a good time for my husband and I to sit and talk without interruption since the kids are in bed and we’re performing a mindless task. I’m telling you, it’s the way laundry was meant to be.
There are so many things I’m an unsure of when it comes to being a mom. SO MANY. But these are three things I know I’m getting right and I know there are three things you’re getting right, too! Brag on yourself! I want to hear: what are the three things you’re getting right in motherhood?
