One of my constant blessings and battles is my ever -busy passionate mind. I have done a lot of work in the past few years to slow down my mind and try to be present with my children. I have always admired my friends and family members who are able to let go of everything on their to do list and connect with their children on a daily basis.
A very poignant insight from a wise mother I recently met:
“Mothering is not dishes, laundry, dusting, vacuuming, etc. any more than being a father is about car maintenance, yard work and household maintenance. These jobs are simply taking care of the household; parenting is nurturing the spirits, minds and emotions of our children.” @jpdfamily
Yesterday I had planned to pick up my three-year-old from joy school and take him straight to Costco because that would be the most efficient use of time. When I went to pick him up, he was feeling very off and so we decided to bag Costco and go with his plan to go home and have lunch. He chose several books to read while we ate lunch. I don’t know when we will go to Costco, but I know I made the right decision for us today. When my older son got into the car, he said, ``Mom, why is Luke so happy?” I knew why.
How can we focus more on mothering if our budget does not allow for us to outsource the household things?
Plant this seed deep in your heart: Mothering is not housework, it’s nurturing. Let this seed grow with every heart felt convo with our kids and every snuggle.--Let that seed grow and give you perspective in hard moments. The house stuff will always be there, our kids will not.
Every time my out of town sister visits, she tells me one new thing that my children are capable of helping with and are not. Divvy out more responsibilities as they are able. Check out “The Parenting Breakthrough” by Merrillee Boyack or for a quick glance at age appropriate responsibilities: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/
Fill in the blank, or better yet--leave a comment of what other ideas you have for freeing up more time to truly “mother” and be present for your children. It’s a challenge for me to strive to be present-What are your secrets?!
