How to be a great mom

I have honestly had this thought before:  "I could be the best mom if I only my kids would leave me alone and let me get some things done!"

It sounds so ridiculous when I say it out loud!  But it felt pretty reasonable at the time.  I had such a deep desire to be a great mom, and some pretty elaborate visions of what that looked like!

In my mind, a great mom fed her kids healthy, home cooked meals.  She had systems for chores, so not only would the house stay clean, but the kids would be learning valuable skills along the way. She tucked the kids in every night so they would feel safe and happy as they fell asleep.  She taught the gospel in ways that were fun and meaningful.  She created an environment that was engaging and educational, and didn't ever use the TV as a babysitter.  She planned outings, encouraged children to develop their natural talents, and always led by example.

The problem is, I never have figured out how to do all of those things at the same time.  Sometimes in order to have a clean house, I have to pay someone else to do it.  Sometimes I intend to tuck a child in... but end up falling asleep myself first.  Sometimes my kids cover their ears and say "lalalalala" when I'm trying to teach a gospel principle.  You get the idea.

If I am waiting to feel good about myself until I master all of those skills, I will be waiting a VERY long time!

Over the years my definition of what a great mom is has been adjusted and simplified.  Don't get me wrong... I still believe in all of those same things.  They are worthwhile things to strive for!  But even when I fail at some (or all) of them, I still get to be a great mom.  Because my definition is now this:

A great mom is one who loves her kids (even if she doesn't like them sometimes), and keeps trying- over and over and over again.

My kids can be as messy or rowdy or disagreeable as they choose to be, and I am still a great mom. They may hate my cooking and my educational outings, and always beg to watch tv.  Some days I may hate all of those things too, and choose to watch tv myself!  But if I love my kids, and I'm willing to try again tomorrow, then by my own definition, I am a great mom.


Christi


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