I don’t talk too much about motherhood on my blog. Honestly, I don’t know why. It’s what I do. I’m a mother. I wake up, and I work for my family, and then I go to sleep still working (because I co-sleep). To actually talk about raising children is not something I’ve done, or have been comfortable doing.
Am I too deep in this and feel that I’m not qualified? Have I looked deeply on my mistakes, see where I can improve and feel like I don’t have reason to talk–maybe. There is one word that follows me around when I interact with my children all day–I don’t know everything.
Working With Different Personalities
Life with 3 children (and one on the way) there are many different personalities. I have a child who is selective in their hearing, but can be sweet and thoughtful at times. I have a child that has a total breakdown when I don’t feed them at the exact correct time, and they cannot even read time yet. Another one is sensitive, but built like a truck–seriously, don’t mess with him.
Working with these personalities is trying and exhausting. There are days where I just want to lock myself in my bedroom and hide! However, I know that God does everything for a reason, and he has his own reasons for doing what he does.
My Key To Sainthood
The trials that we face everyday, as mothers is a stark reminder that this is our key to sainthood. Just thinking about heaven and realizing that it is full of mothers and fathers who put themselves last, and offered up everything they had to God.
The days are hard, and sometimes they are fun. Children are fun, but they are exhausting. They seem to have endless questions, abundant energy, and forceful emotions. To be subjected to that daily and try to keep your cool is hard enough.
Wishing for Patience
When my daughter was younger, and our second was just born; I had asked for patience. I wanted to be that calm mother who can handle any situation–I’m not there yet.
Asking for patience, and having this cool as a cucumber picture in your mind is two different things. Honestly, when you ask for it, you will be put in situations when it’s going to be tested–all the time.
That is where I am at right now. Our family decided to home-school, so I’m surrounded all the time. I won’t say that I look at other mothers who drop their kids off and then have the day to themselves as lucky. But, I them realize how lucky I am to be with my kids so often.
[Tweet “Before I know it, they will grow up, and this time will just be a memory.”]
How to use this time wisely
I’m still going through the motions, but there are things that I have to do to use my time with them wisely–even if I’m frustrated.
- I offer what I can up to God. These sufferings–or growing pains is here for a reason. While it may make me crazy at the moment, I know when it’s over, we all would have grown from this experience. What can be better than to offer the suffering for the Holy Souls while I’m learning a lesson.
- Pray for them (and myself) often. I remember my children during my daily rosary . I pray for their well-being, and their health. I pray that they are able to make good decisions. I also pray that I can handle (with God’s help) the issues that are thrown at me. I pray that I can respond with love and understanding.
- Remember they are only children. I think this is the hardest one for me. I have to seriously remember that they are just kids. They will have their moments in not remembering (or hearing) what I’m saying. They will be forgetful, and they will be careless. My role as mother is to prepare them for life, but to do it in a way that will not break their spirits.
Motherhood is a trial
Ultimately, motherhood is a trial. It will cause you to use everything you have to get through each day. There will be days that will be awesome and there will be days that will be just trying (and you’re counting down to bedtime). Either way, these are days that we will remember.
How are you using motherhood to grow in your spiritual life?
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