✨ SELF-CARE TIP TUESDAY ✨

I have 3 kids and not one of them is the same. The first one hates to sleep, eats like a bird and never wants to miss anything. The second one loves to sleep and eats anything and goes with the flow. And the last one sleeps OK, is my pickiest eater and is stubborn as a bull. They’re 11, 8 and 5 now, and I’m STILL learning new things about them.

With each one, I had to start from scratch and try to figure them out. And each time I felt like a failure for not knowing what to do. I thought motherhood would just come naturally; that I’d always know what to do and what to say. But there are some things that are definitely innate, right?

For instance, we all have “the look” that we whip out when the time is right. We have all said “Because I said so” at some point (and then cringed when we realized we sound like our own mom). And we all would give our lives for our kids. These things and more are universal to motherhood.

But you are not expected to be an expert on your kid from day 1! I remember feeling so defeated because I thought my first baby would be born and we would breastfeed without any problems as I held her peacefully while she slept without ever crying. Ha! I had a major wake up call. Subsequently, each sweet baby I birthed brought new challenges and issues.

Some things are not innate in motherhood. Most of it is learn-as-you-go, trial and error and lots of flexibility. And that is so hard and exhausting!

So just for a second, let yourself be a newbie at motherhood. Realize you may not have all the answers and that some things just take time. Give yourself grace. Know that you’re not a failure. Good news: your kids don’t know what they’re doing either! 🙂

We’re all in this motherhood gig together so if you’re stuck, reach out to another Mama and ask for help! Odds are she has been through the same situation or knows someone who has. None of us know what we’re doing. Even if we know our kids front to back, a new phase comes up and we have to throw it all out the window! You’re doing so well – keep going!