Sometimes I Feel Like I'm Failing

Sometimes I feel like I am failing as a mother, as most moms do. There are days when I get caught up with the daily tasks of life and forget to look at the big picture. I forget why I do what I do. Recently, I had about 50 things going on at once, the house was a mess, the baby was fussy, and I felt like I wasn’t getting any help. I’m not sure what was said, or why I reacted the way I did, but I remember the moments afterward clearly. I was laying the baby into her swing and was told something, I was overwhelmed and frustrated. I got the swing going and clenched my fists and made the mommy “EEERRRRR” sound. I turned around to see my 3 year old looking at me, wide eyed. I just looked at him and said, quietly, “Mommy is overwhelmed.” After I realized he caught me, I felt pretty low. But, I quickly moved on, like I have to do, most days. However, a few hours later, my kids were sitting at the dining room table, playing, and my 3 year old got frustrated. Guess what his reaction was? Yep, you guessed it. He clenched his fists and made the “EEERRRR” noise. Normally, I would sit down and talk with him about it, how to handle the situation differently. But, this time I realized his reaction was solely based on my example. Ouch. I realize it is something pretty small in the grand scheme of things, but it made me realize two things. One: I can’t even remember why I reacted the way I did. It made me step back and evaluate what I am making big deals out of. Two: I am an example to my kids with the big and small things. Not just the things I say, but the things I do. They watch my every move. At the end of the day I have to remember I am human. I make mistakes. My kids see those mistakes. They also see how I handle myself after the mistakes are made. If you have moments when you feel like you are failing as a mother, just know that means you are a good mom. We all have bad days, we all have low points. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Tomorrow is a new day. You are all amazing, beautiful mommas. No one is perfect, but your children think you are the perfect mommy for them. Keep on being incredible.