As a Mother

Yesterday I was able to help a friend with a survey about parenting and my life as a mother for one of her classes. I haven’t been a mother for very long, but these questions got me thinking a little deeper about my role than I normally would on a Monday afternoon.  I think it is so easy to forget the big picture.  To focus instead on the day’s to-do list, or the third visit to time-out that morning, or the dirty kitchen floor that I just mopped yesterday.  However, as a mother my job isn’t to have the cutest or cleanest house, perfectly behaved children, or to feel like a failure if we didn’t make a Pinterest craft that day (or ever).  My number one job is to love them, and that means teaching them, crying with them, laughing, with them, and spending time with them.  My children deserve the world, and it is my job as their mother to give them the tools to explore it, learn about it, and make it a better place.  It’s a big job, but I am so grateful I get to be the one to try and do it.

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What is the most fulfilling part of being a parent?

I would say watching your child learn or comprehend something new. Whether it is something you have been working on with them, or something they picked up entirely on their own, it is so exciting to watch them grow!

What is the most difficult part of being a parent?

For me it would have to be having patience. I am a very scheduled and organized person, so when things start to stray from how I think they should be going I tend to get frazzled and irritable. And let's face it, very little goes according to plan when you have little kids. Everyday I have to remind myself to relax and be more patient, because they are only kids after all, and they don't have the same expectations as I do.

What are some traits or characteristics you think parents need to have?

• Patience,
• Adaptability
• A sense of humor
• Perseverance

What do you hope your children learn most from you? What do you think is the most important thing is to teach your children?

I think I most want my children to learn the importance and beauty of filling their time with meaningful things. Good people, beautiful music, inspiring words, and hard work. I want them to remember that I didn't waste my time on activities, people, or thoughts that didn't make a positive impact on our family.

I think the most important thing I can teach my children is respect. First for themselves, second for others, and lastly for the world in which they live.

What is some advice you would give to those preparing to be a parent?

Believe in yourself. While sometimes you really won't have a clue, for the most part that instinct does kick in and you will be the one to know what is best for your child. Remember everything is a phase and that means that while the sleepless nights, teething, and terrible-twos are oh so hard in the moment, they will pass. It also means those precious little babies grow up far too quickly.

What is your proudest mom moment you've had so far?

I am not going to lie, my proudest mommy moment was the first time my three year-old pooped on the potty. Potty training is hard!!!

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It wasn’t easy coming up with these answers.  There is so much I want my children to know, and there are still a lot of years for them to figure this life out.  I want them to know gratitude and service, to value education and music, and to always find happiness despite their circumstances.  I want them to love God and Jesus Christ, and gain a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel.  I am also fairly certain that the things which are most difficult or fulfilling will change with time.  My babies are only one and three, so I am sure something other than potty-training will make it’s way to the top of my proudest moments list at some point or another.  Although, that moment on the potty was pretty great.

I am so thankful that I don’t have to do this job alone.  I have a supportive and loving husband who wants only the best for his girls.  I can only imagine being a single parent and the stress and pressure you would have to bear on your own.  I admire them and their fortitude, and watching them makes me extra grateful to be a part of a team effort in raising these choice spirits.Thankfully none of us are really alone in this job, because we have a loving Heavenly Father and Savior who can help us as we strive to have patience and make decisions regarding our children.  They are always ready and willing to give us the guidance and reassurance we need as we navigate parenthood.

Being a mother is such a special privilege, and I hope and pray that I can live up to the standards I have set for myself.  I hope that my children can love me despite my mistakes, and that no matter what they will always know I wanted to the best for them.  I am so lucky to get to call them my babies, and I couldn’t love them more.