…and my mom actually did when I was a kid!

Though we made this cute reel as a spoof of my mom wanting to run away again (isn’t she the cutest?!)

She threatened to run away when we were kids…

and then packed her bags and went down the street.

We were terrified.

Terrified enough that we promised never to fight again if she’d come back.

And us 6 kids kept that promise and never fought again.

You’ll have to confirm with my mom if this is true.

But the feeling she felt that day…I completely relate to now that I am a mom.

Being a mom is rewarding in the good moments and can be completely crushing in bad moments.

It is difficult not to get to that place of overwhelm, especially with all of the expectations put on us as mothers:

• Manage the household including grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, meal planning, cooking, organizing etc.
• Manage the schedules knowing who goes where, when and what they need. Be the the taxi driver and the cheerleader and don’t miss a game/recital/competition etc.
• Manage the kids. Be present, enjoy every moment – because it all goes by too fast. Mediate the contention, know their needs, take care of their needs, clean up their body fluids, stay up with them when they’re sick at night, stay calm when they’re dysregulated, don’t over schedule them, make sure they are in a variety of activities, help with their homework, make sure they read, take time each day to connect, don’t use screens, avoid creating childhood trauma, get your kids outside each day, make sure that they are safe while outside – you never know what could happen etc.
• Manage yourself. Take time for self-care, read parenting books, exercise, meditate, shower, get dressed, know the latest trends, get enough sleep, drink enough water, eat healthy etc.
• Make money on the side. You aren’t contributing if you don’t also have a side hustle in all of your free time.
• Be a good spouse. Be a in a good mood when your spouse comes home from work, greet him with a kiss, look presentable, make sure the house isn’t too chaotic so it’s a nice transition for him, have the house tidy, it would be nice if dinner was ready etc.
• Get involved in the community. Volunteer at school and church. Support fundraisers. Get out in the community. Give of your time and money.
• Don’t complain. You chose this.

How can one find the balance in all of that without feeling the stress and anxiety that also tends to trickle in?

How could we not want to run away?!

These are all things I’ve heard as a wife and mother. But just because these are put on us by society, doesn’t mean we need to put these on ourselves.

In this world we live in that has so much noise and opinion on how to be the best mom, I suggest we block all that out and find what works for us, our homes and our relationships.

Do you need more help from your spouse?

Ask for it.

Do you need more help from your kids?

Ask for it.

Is your routine not working?

Tweak one thing at a time…don’t try to start a bunch of new systems at once.

Is it ok if the house is messy?

Yes.

Can you do the laundry tomorrow?

Yes.

Can kids eat goldfish off the floor for dinner?

Yes, but not recommended. 😂

My friend posted a reel that I loved about how not everything needs to be done everyday.

At HuggaBuddies, one of our goals is to help with just one moment of your day…bedtime with kids.

We’ve created the system of snuggling, reading, writing, talking, and feeling secure, and we would love you to try it.

If we can relieve the burden of one part of your day by accomplishing the tasks on the mama’s to do list that we feel are the most important, than we’ve found the success we’re looking for.

Use code BUNDLE15 to get started OR come see us this weekend at the Mountain America Expo Center for the Salt Lake City Home Show and get 30% off plus the first peek at a new product that is only in-person!