From One Mom To Another: You Make It Look Easy (But I Know Better)

This morning I did some pajama shopping for my kids while my mom watched them. While I was perusing the store by myself I had time to notice moms around me who had their kids with them.

I watched as a mom held her baby in one arm while she paged through racks of clothes with the other. Simultaneously, she was reminding her older daughter that she needed to look at long-sleeved shirts instead of short-sleeved ones. On top of that, she was checking on her son periodically who was announcing each Legos creation he made at the kids area.

As I watched her do all this, she looked like a professional. She knew EXACTLY what she was doing. She was using a sweet and gentle tone with her little ones. She was confidently in charge of her clan, and said the right things to keep them on track. She kept her cool when one of them refused to listen. She exemplified patience again and again and again.

NOW. I know from experience that she was probably not feeling as peaceful as she looked. She had likely already put in a full morning just trying to get everyone ready and out the door. She had probably hoped today was going to be the one day this week when she would’ve had enough time to shower and do her hair. But time ran out. And even with cutting that out she probably still left the house a good 30 minutes later than she hoped. She probably had to mediate a fight between her older kids who each wanted to watch a different movie on the way over. She probably had to clean up juice that spilled on the upholstery. She probably struggled to get the stroller out of the trunk. She probably had to search for lost mittens and hats that got tossed under the back seat. She probably had to make a bee line for the bathroom to change a dirty diaper before she could start shopping. She was probably a little overwhelmed to be keeping tabs on all three. She probably wished her baby would have been content to stay in the stroller instead of having to get him out and shop one-handed. She was probably frustrated that her daughter wasn’t looking at the clothes in season. Her patience was probably wearing thin when her son wasn’t listening. She may have even been embarrassed by the scene they were making.

But yet, from someone looking on, you would have never known the work it took for her to make a “simple” trip to the store.

Moms have this amazing ability to make it look like the work we do is easy. Effortless. Stress-free. Some might even mistake our work for “play.”

But from one mom to another, I get it.

I get that the days you go to the store, the park, daycare, the library, the doctor, and everywhere else with your kids, there’s more to it. Behind the dozens of things you’re able to effortlessly juggle at the same time, there’s a woman who is more than just a professional mom.

There’s a woman who wants her life to have significance. A woman who wakes up every morning thinking about ways she can help her family. A woman who selflessly gives up conveniences to create experiences. A woman who much of the time even gives up her own identity because she’s too focused on others to take care of herself. A woman who has so much love in her heart that she would do just about anything to ensure her kids have a chance at success. A woman who longs to be the best mom she can be. A woman who has discovered that motherhood requires her to work harder than she’s ever worked in her life.

Yes, behind every mom who makes it look easy is someone who is not only a professional, but more importantly, a saint. She knows the work she’s doing is hard, tiring, and far from relaxing, but she also knows that there is something so deep in her soul that makes it the most rewarding and satisfying work she’s ever done. She’s learned that the most valuable things in life are the ones that require the most effort.

And so, she goes to the store and everywhere else in life and doesn’t make it about her, but instead rises above sets an example. She chooses patience when it’s tough, when it would be easier to snap. She gently leads her children where they need to go, and does it all with humility and grace. She embodies what it means to love unconditionally.

So, from one mom to another, I want you to know how inspiring you are. I want you to know that you make all of us want to be the best we can be. You make us better, just by being you.

Keep up the great work, friends. You are a blessing not only to your family, but to generations to come. Your life IS SIGNIFICANT. 

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!