It happened again this morning.
I was irritated at my children; desperately trying to get them to school on time. The twins are only in preschool but some mornings I feel like I have two teenagers on my hands. And, I do what I hoped I wouldn’t: I snap.
It doesn’t help that it’s December, one of the craziest months of the year. It doesn’t help that I’m pregnant and working and quite honestly tired. It doesn’t help that my husband is traveling and the dishes are piled up in the sink and those crazy fruit flies have appeared again making me feel even more like I don’t have it all together.
Instead of peace, I feel panicked. I try not to cry but all I can mutter to God is “I’m tired.”
On Monday, a friend who barely speaks at Bible Study said that she needed to learn how to just “chill out.” We all nodded our heads in agreement.
December is filled with wisdom about how to make the holidays special for your family. Heather wrote an excellent post on Tuesday about things to do with your kids this holiday season. Another friend commented on Facebook that she already has her Christmas cards out, present wrapped, and tree decorated. How is it possible to chill out yet get everything done?
Sometimes I don’t feel qualified to write in this space because I’m a young mom that feels like such a failure. I’m forgetful, I’m irritable, and I mess up. It broke my heart this morning when my daughter asked me why I was mad as we drove to school. I don’t want her to remember her mommy being cranky; especially around the holidays.
What does help me be a better mother are three things: sleep, time away from my children, and less items on my to-do list.
When I get a good night’s sleep, I tend to wake up well-rested and ready to spend a few moments in Bible study. This helps me to have self-control with my words and actions while getting the girls ready for the day.
Time away from my children allows me to miss them. One night during Thanksgiving, my husband and I went on a date. It was just what I needed. We got time together as a couple and the next day when we picked up our girls from their grandparent’s house, I was so glad to see them. I know time away from our children can get expensive with childcare, but it really is worth the money spent.
Finally, when I challenge myself to do less, I actually end up doing more. Lists and calendars are good because they help me to stay organized but these tools can easily become weapons of mass destruction to my Type-A personality. I’ve got to learn how to live with not having everything checked off my list and be okay with that.
Same rule applies to the bazillion family Christmas activities. I don’t have to try and do them all but I can pick just one activity for my family to do well. I love this post about being a mom of littles during the holidays. I have to remember that my girls care more about having a happy mommy instead of a red and green obsessed crazy mommy.
We can’t stop this month from being busy but we can stop putting so much expectation on ourselves. We can keep healthy habits that help us stay sane during the holidays. But when we fail (which we will) and we most certainly aren’t chilled out, may we take a moment to regain our composure, say we’re sorry, admit we aren’t perfect, and believe that we are good mothers.
Merry Christmas to all ye mothers that feel as I do this time of the year.
Christen Price blogs at illuminate {formerly the uncontainable truth}, where she offers a light for your path. As wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to premature twin girls, she’s learned that God is the Ultimate Party Planner and sometimes the unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Christen is the Women’s Ministry Coordinator at her church, a lover of exclamation points, and gets way too excited over food and fabric. You can find her on Facebook or on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter @chris10price.
- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
