I will admit that the last few days have included some less-than-stellar motherhood moments for me. The piano lesson that ended in tears (again), having a mom freak-out on our way out the door to school, and pushing a child through a last minute school project (which also ended in tears).
But there have been good moments too: reading a chapter of Little House in the Big Woods to Anna at bedtime (and finding her drawing pictures of the scenes the next morning), celebrating straight A's with lots of encouragement, and staying up late to create an (optional) horsefly costume for the one line she would give in the 2nd grade play, just because I know it would make her day.
With the daily ups and downs, I have carried in the back of my mind bits of inspiration and motivation from this new book.
(photo by April Perry)
The past few weeks I have had the opportunity to read this wonderful book, Motherhood Realized
It's a collection of short essays -- popular essays which originally appeared on the Power of Moms site, but have now been gathered into one book. I love that each essay is short - 2-3 pages - because I was able to read it in bits & pieces here and there.
Many days I sat at soccer practice reading, bookmarking, smiling, nodding, tearing up, and enjoying that warm feeling in my heart as I felt connected to these REAL moms who live REAL lives.
Some entries hit super close to home. In "Look Again" by Kortni Miller, she wrote about moving from mountains and lush green to the stifling heat and sagebrush of St. George. Hello?! That's me! She couldn't stand it there, missing her mountains too much, and so she only lasted 6 months. But that was before motherhood taught her to see life with different eyes and she learned it was a choice to bloom where you are planted.
When I became a mom, I discovered that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places and situations. The thing about beauty is that it walks hand-in-hand with perspective, while attitude strolls closely behind.
I also loved that each essay ends with a question and a challenge. It is great to read something that makes you feel good. But when you take the next step to spend a moment in thoughtful reflection and then create goals with action . . . that's when the good stuff happens. The essay, "You're not Mean, You're Just Stressed" by Dawn Wessman ends with this question and challenge:
Question: When was the last time you laughed or had fun? When do you remember having fun with your parents as a child?
Challenge: Look for ways in your daily routine to make the mundane fun for you and your children. Trust your personality and go with it. You don't have to try to be like the "fun" mom down the street; you'll have your own flavor. Find a way to lessen the greatest stresses in your family, so you can have more fun.
Most of all I loved the constant theme and reminder throughout the book that motherhood is beautiful. It is work and it is absolutely worth it. From "Motherhood Defies Logic" by April Perry:
Mothering children, in many circles, is being defined as madness. It's described as mind-numbing, menial work akin to prison or slavery. Mothers are portrayed as not having time to change the world because they're "wasting" their time in their homes.
When the beautiful, essential role of building a home and family is reduced by societal forces to be synonymous with "drudgery," tha'ts personal to me.
And more importantly, it's personal to my four beautiful children. How society defines motherhood often shapes how mothers define themselves. And how we, as mothers, perceive our identity affects our children and our households at the most intimate level.
The logical arguments against deliberate motherhood can be printed in multiple languages, featured on every media outlet, and high-lighted within social media all day long. But what we feel in our hearts and know from experience is that, however well-intentioned, these blanket statements about motherhood are simply not true.
We're not diminished by our children. We are infused with purpose because of them.
Motherhood is hard. It's demanding, painful, and often unappreciated. But the satisfaction I feel as a mother -- even on the longest, most discouraging, exhausting days -- far exceeds what I ever expected out of family life.
For those of us (mothers or not) who know the power of motherhood, it is our privilege to cherish it and to defend it.
I highly recommend this book for all mothers out there. Just a wonderful message that we can all benefit from.
You can purchase this book on Amazon
PLUS, if you purchase the book by March 29th, go to Power of Moms (this LINK) and claim a FREE gift package which includes:
- A digital copy of the first Power of Moms book, Deliberate Motherhood
- Access to a 1 hour "Love Languages" Web Training - featuring fantastic, specific ways you can create incredible relationships with your children
- Half price on a Lifetime Learning Circles Membership
Again, go to Power of Moms to get all the details.
{I am a member of the Motherhood Realized Book Launch Team which gave me early access to the book for reading and reviewing. All opinions are completely my own.}
