This morning I took my kids to the beach. This is a big deal for me, because there aren’t a lot of places outside of Target that I take them all by myself. The swimming pool is totally out. Even when my husband’s with me I’m a hot mess and nervous the entire time that one of them is going to leave our sight.
So, I thought I’d try the beach. We got there, lathered on some sunscreen, and then they got right to work filling every crevice of their bodies with sand. My littlest dude and I sat with our butts in the cold water and I watched him explore the new textures and surroundings.
Did I mention I was SITTING? Yes, the entire time, I was actually able to sit and dig in the sand and observe their adorableness without feeling completely overwhelmed.
As I was playing with my kids, I had several moments when I can honest to goodness say it felt like a little bit of heaven on earth. Bliss, in its purest form.
These little people that I get to spend my days with have the capacity to melt my heart and touch my soul in ways that absolutely must be from above.
The love I have for them turns the most ordinary moments into once in a lifetime opportunities.
“THIS is why I’m a stay-at-home mom. THIS is the life,” I thought to myself.
To tell you the truth, it had been a while since I had one of those moments. While I’m thankful I get to be at home, the last few weeks have been rough and there have been many times when I felt inadequate, under qualified, and undeserving. I sent several texts to my husband telling him that I wasn’t cut out for this, that they deserved better than me.
I’ve had times when I felt misunderstood by family and friends who don’t know what its like. I’ve felt alone.
So today, I wanted to take a minute and remind myself and anyone else out there who has struggled lately, that it is absolutely worth it to hang in there. Just like any other job, being a stay at home mom has good days and bad days. And even when it feels like I’ve had 100 bad days in a row, that one really GOOD day makes every single one of them worth it.
To you, my fellow stay at home momma friend, I get it.
These precious little moments we get with our kids are blessings, even when they’re disguised in tantrums, whining, and sleepless nights.
You do enough. You have enough. You ARE enough.
XOXO,
Amber
P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!
7 Comments
I’m not a stay at home mom, but I am a single-working full time mom of two (2 yrs and 3 yrs). I completely get this post. I know it was geared towards your stay at home moms but this one hit me hard. I had one of these moments a few days ago. Being a single mom is hard. There are days and weeks where I feel like I’m not enough and that I’m not giving them what they deserve or that my everything can be a little more. Then there are those moments when you finally let go of the anxiety and the fear and you just have a really good day/moment and you realize… it’s ok. Everything is ok.
I so needed this today! Just a few months into SAHM life and I’m struggling. Most days are hard days. I love the good days but I also don’t feel cut out for this full time parenting gig. Husband has to remind me often that it’s worth it, even when it feels fruitless sometimes.
This is a real life message to my husband a couple weeks ago, where I said nearly the same thing. My daughter had been refusing to walk because she scraped her knee the day before. I’m pregnant, and have a bad hip anyway, so its painful to carry her. After her pushing my buttons all day, every day, I felt soo just not good enough.
“‘H’ pissed all over the couch, pillow and blanket, cause she wont walk. She’s been crying for 30 mins and im about to loose it. Sometimes i wonder why i wanted a baby, i can’t even handle ‘H’. Im not cut out for this. ”
I so relate to your post. Glad i’m not alone!
Your blog is too cute! I so wish I could be a stay at home mom! I bet it is awesome! I do get to be one part time. I’m a teacher, but having the summer off makes me want it more! But I am very thankful for my time with them for these 2 months of summer!
The beach looked like lots of fun!
Oh my gosh…been there, felt that! When my twin boys were little, it took so much work to get out of the house with them and their two year old sister. I remember days when I would SIT DOWN for just a few minutes and it would all come flooding to me at once how lucky I was. Of course, those feelings never lasted long because someone started crying or whining, but I definitely get it. My twins are 4 now and it’s still tough at times, but it definitely gets easier logistically and I’m able to sit back and appreciate more now. I still have my moments, though, when I feel like my kids deserve a better mom: someone more patient with their million outbursts/tantrums that I don’t always handle the best when I’ve been with them for 12 hours straight…but I hope that overall, I’m doing a good job. Great post. 🙂
And again-such encouraging words! Thanks for sharing your heart, it definitely touches mine.
Those are the days I live for and remember on the really hard days!!!